06/14/2026
Message Notes: June 14, 2026
Title: “What’s a Disciple?”
Text: Matthew 10:1-20
Intro: What is a disciple? What does a disciple do exactly? Student. Gospel. Jesus. Aiming for what comes next.
I. Jesus sends the disciples on a mission trip.
A. Preparing for the next thing.
1. College.
2. A new chapter in life.
B. The disciples have left everything to follow Jesus.
1. Left home, family, jobs.
2. Ordinary men, mostly with blue collar jobs.
3. Confessed Jesus, as the Christ.
4. Witness many miracles.
5. The message—the Kingdom of God is near.
6. Our message also –plus cross and resurrection.
C. Disciples are given authority.
1. Matthew 10:1, 7
2. Matthew 28:19-20
3. It all starts with the Word, learning it, applying it, and believing it.
D. A little bit about authority.
1. Once the Lord gives it, it is yours.
2. Examples Samson, David, Judas, Pilate.
3. True character revealed in the way authority is used.
4. Our authority expressed in many forms.
5. Have we used our authority selfishly? sacrificially?
II. Come as you are. Give what you have.
A. Directions.
1. Need to be clear.
2. Jesus’ instructions were clear.
3. Disciples did not train disciples to be Pharisees first.
4. Disciples were plain and common folks.
5. With flaws, relatable, approachable.
6. Not so different from us.
7. Come as you are and let the Lord use what you have.
8. Be honest about yourself, be genuine—people can spot fakes.
9. Real people who live by sufficient grace (Paul).
B. Give what you have.
1. Hospitality stands out.
2. Example of a generous shut-in.
3. You may not have much but you have something.
4. A disciple gives what he/she has and is never asked to give what they don’t have.
III. Disciples should also expect opposition.
A. Rejected by association with Jesus.
1. Matthew 10:22
2. Matthew 10:25
3. “Not peace, but division.”
B. A disciple should learn when to walk away.
1. Matthew 10:14
2. Recognize your limits.
3. Reroute your energy.
4. The hard part is knowing when.
5. Hard lesson for PW early in his ministry.
6. Knowing when to walk away is often not clear or easy but at times necessary.
7. Jesus walked away from crowds too.
C. Disciples keep their focus on Jesus.
1. A Lesson on focus—An active illustration.
2. What are the distractions in your life that pull you from the cross?
3. Many things are yelling out for our attention—which ones are most worthy?
4. If we are here, then we can’t be somewhere else.
5. “Squirrells!” are perhaps our greatest challenge as disciples.
D. More questions…
1. Did the disciples feel ready? Did the disciples feel equipped? Do we?
2. The Spirit is active in disciples--Vs 19-20
3. Just be yourself. The Lord can turn fisherman into wise speakers.
4. Martin Luther quote.
Conclusion: The question was, “What is a disciple?” “What does a disciple do?” Answer. A follower of Christ and a doer of His Word. One who is changed by the Word and equipped to engage their neighbors. One who encounters distractions but keeps the Gospel at the center. One who is a real person living by God’s grace. One who has a next thing to aim at. Being a disciple is only the basic level of all that comes next. And we never stop being the student, never stop learning the lessons and growing from the opportunities found in serving. What is a disciple? It is you. It is me. Regular folks equipped by an awesome God.
Taking it Home:
1. Describe a moment when you have witnessed to another and it brought you great joy.
2. Disciples are students. What kind of “continuing education” in the Word has been done recently that has grown your faith? Your understanding of certain topics? Or enhanced a relationship?
3. Disciples are only the first step. How has being a disciple in Jesus shaped your character in other things? Do others recognize you as a Christian?
4. What opportunities has the Lord blessed you with this last week to express your faith to another?
Consider Reading the rest of Matthew 10
