Learning to Frame and Reframe Like Jesus

Session 1 Transcript — 10 Minutes

Jesus Reframes Identity: From Believer to Disciple-Maker

Good day, everyone, and welcome to Session 1 of our course, Developing Disciple-Makers: Learning to Frame and Reframe Like Jesus.

In this session, we are going to focus on one important question:

How did Jesus change the way His followers understood who they were?

Our key verse is Matthew 4:19:

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

This short verse gives us a powerful picture of discipleship.

Before we look at the verse, let me introduce two words that we will use throughout this course: frame and reframe.

A frame is the way we see or interpret something.

For example, when you hear the word “Christian,” what comes to your mind?

Maybe you think of someone who believes in Jesus.

Maybe someone who goes to church.

Maybe someone who reads the Bible, prays, serves, or tries to live a good life.

Those things may be good, but sometimes our frame can be incomplete.

A reframe happens when Jesus challenges our existing way of thinking and helps us see something from His perspective.

Jesus did this constantly.

He reframed greatness.

He reframed leadership.

He reframed success.

He reframed enemies.

He reframed ministry.

And He also reframed what it means to be His disciple.

So let us go back to Matthew 4:19.

Jesus said:

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

There are three important parts in this verse.

The first is:

“Follow Me.”

Discipleship begins with relationship.

Jesus did not simply say, “Learn about Me.”

He did not say, “Attend a meeting about Me.”

He did not say, “Memorize information about Me.”

He said, “Follow Me.”

A disciple is first of all someone who follows Jesus.

That means we listen to Him.

We learn from Him.

We trust Him.

We obey Him.

We pattern our lives after Him.

So here is the first question I want you to ask yourself:

Am I truly following Jesus, or have I reduced Christianity to religious activity?

There is a big difference between being around Christian things and actually following Christ.

Now look at the second phrase:

“I will make you.”

This speaks about transformation.

Jesus did not say, “Follow Me and stay exactly the same.”

He said, “I will make you.”

In other words, Jesus intends to change His followers.

He changes our character.

He changes our priorities.

He changes how we think.

He changes how we relate to others.

He changes what we value.

He changes the direction of our lives.

Luke 6:40 says that when a disciple is fully trained, he will be like his teacher.

That means the goal of discipleship is not simply information.

The goal is transformation.

We should not only ask:

“What do I know?”

We should also ask:

“How is Jesus changing me?”

This is important because sometimes we can know a lot of Bible information and still remain unchanged in our attitudes, habits, relationships, and obedience.

So Jesus reframes discipleship from simply learning to becoming.

Not just:

“What do you know?”

But:

“Who are you becoming?”

Now let us look at the third part:

“Fishers of men.”

This speaks about mission.

Jesus called Peter and Andrew to follow Him, but He also gave them a new purpose.

He was going to form them into people who would help others come to Him.

This means disciple-making is not only for pastors.

It is not only for missionaries.

It is not only for evangelists.

It is part of the identity of a follower of Jesus.

Jesus develops disciples who participate in His mission.

So Matthew 4:19 gives us three movements.

Follow Me — relationship.

I will make you — transformation.

Fishers of men — mission.

We can summarize it this way:

A disciple is someone who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and joining the mission of Jesus.

Now compare that with a very common Christian frame.

Sometimes people think Christianity is simply:

Believe in Jesus.

Attend church.

Listen to sermons.

Join activities.

Be a good person.

Go to heaven.

Again, many of those things are good.

But Jesus' vision is bigger than that.

Jesus calls us not only to receive.

He calls us to follow.

He calls us to change.

And He calls us to help others follow Him.

So here is the reframe for this session.

The old frame may be:

“I am a Christian who attends church.”

Jesus' reframe is:

“I am a disciple of Jesus who is being transformed by Jesus and sent to participate in His mission.”

That is a much bigger identity.

It moves us from being consumers to participants.

From spectators to disciple-makers.

From simply receiving ministry to helping others grow.

Let me give you three simple diagnostic questions.

First:

Am I following Jesus?

Not just attending.

Not just learning.

Am I actually following Him?

Second:

Where is Jesus changing me?

What attitude is He changing?

What habit?

What priority?

What area of obedience?

Third:

Who am I helping follow Jesus?

This is where disciple-making becomes practical.

If we are always being discipled but never helping anyone else, then the process stops with us.

Jesus' pattern is multiplication.

Someone helped us.

Then we help someone.

Then we help that person help someone else.

This is how disciples become disciple-makers.

I want you to think of one person right now.

It may be a friend.

A family member.

A younger believer.

A coworker.

Someone in your church.

Ask yourself:

Who is one person I could intentionally help follow Jesus?

You do not need to know everything.

Peter did not know everything when Jesus called him.

The disciples were still learning while Jesus was already involving them in ministry.

Disciple-making does not mean you have arrived.

It means you are following Jesus and inviting someone else to follow with you.

So here is your action step for this week.

Choose one person.

Pray for that person every day.

Have one intentional spiritual conversation with them.

Then share Matthew 4:19 and ask:

“What do you think Jesus means when He says, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men’?”

Listen to their answer.

Do not rush to correct them.

First discover their frame.

Then help them see Jesus' perspective.

That is the beginning of frame and reframe disciple-making.

Let us close with this simple truth:

Jesus does not only call people to believe in Him. He calls them to follow Him, be transformed by Him, and join Him in making disciples.

So the final question for Session 1 is:

Who are you intentionally helping follow Jesus?

That question will lead us into the next session, where we will look at how Jesus reframes the way we see people.

Follow Jesus. Be transformed by Jesus. Join the mission of Jesus. Help others do the same.