Smack dab in the midst of a long run of prophecies concerning the messianic age, we find Isaiah 50:4-5:
The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples,
That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
The Lord GOD has opened My ear;
And I was not disobedient
Nor did I turn back.
My opinion is that this describes the relationship of the coming Messiah with his Father. Jesus was a disciple of his Father. The Father was his mentor. Continuing the theme in John 5:19-20, Jesus says of this relationship:
"... Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel."
Jesus used the same mentoring relationship with his disciples, who would later become the apostles who became foundational in the building of Jesus' church.
Jesus' parting words to the apostles were the schema by which the apostles would apply all they had learned and establish the church among the nations, from Matthew 28:19 -- "Go and make disciples of all nations...." Discipleship was the paradigm in which evangelism and brining the nations back under his authority would happen.
Some examples of this discipleship paradigm in action. First Paul writing to churches he planted:
He treated them like a father training his children:
1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 -- You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
He encouraged them to be like their heavenly Father (like father, like son):
Eph 5:1 -- Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
Pay attention to my "son" Timothy -- he will be just like me being there."
Philippians 2:19-23 -- But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me.
In his communication to his ministry associates, he communicated the father's mentoring and discipling was the acid test for doing the same work in God's family, the church:
1 Timothy 3:2-5 -- A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober
minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)
Titus 1:5-6 -- For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.
The point here is that "discipling" is the paradigm, "even to the end of the age." The pastor is a like a father training God's household. The way he becomes that is by how he trains his own household. Discipleship is "baked in". It is a standard feature, not an extra-cost add on. Discipleship, like parenting requires personal interaction. Sadly, we have adopted a classroom paradigm for training the household of God, teacher up front, students in the seats dutifully being lectured to, then going their own way.
