Matthew 28:16-20….16But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Apostle – (Gr. Apostolos) “one who is sent away”, a messenger and ambassador.

Disciple – (Gr. Mathetes) “student”, “pupil”, “apprentice”, “adherent”, most often associated with     people who were devout followers of a great religious leader or teacher of philosophy.

    The difference here is one is the teacher, one is the student. Before one can teach, they must first learn. Then when the knowledge and understanding is there, then they can teach. A person will not be prepared to take on “disciples” if they have not been properly taught.  They will be an ineffective teacher, a stumbling-block, and do more damage than good.

James 3:1-2 – 1Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. 2For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

Before being “sent away” by Jesus to spread the word of Christianity, the eleven (Judas betrayed Jesus and hung himself by this point (Acts 1:25)) were mere disciples. This exact moment was their graduation of sorts; the transition from student, to teacher. This is when they became true apostles.

Acts 1:1-5 – 1The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. 4Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

    The Holy Bible only refers to them as apostles when it mentions them teaching. All other times it refers to them as disciples. This is an important point.

    Understand though, there is a difference in “not teaching” vice “not standing firm in your faith”. People will use the phrase, “Speaking is not my gift, so I don’t tell others about Christ”. This isn’t the intent. We should always be ready to make a defense of the faith that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). We should not surrender and opportunity to explain our faith to another person, any chance to witness to another person should be seized! This is different than making disciples.

    The apostles were trained by God Himself in the flesh. They walked with Him, talked with Him, saw His miracles first hand. Only after all of this did God send them out to teach, to make disciples. A person should be properly prepared before seeking to fulfill the Great Commission, so that they don’t hinder another person’s walk. Sanctification is a process. For some it’s fast, for some it is extremely slow, for some it is moderate. Every Christian should strive to be a teacher, but they should be ready (1 Peter 1-2). Use the gifts God gave you to glorify Him. He gave them to you for a reason.

Romans 12:4-8 – 4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

1 Corinthians 12 – 1Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware…. 4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
    12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
    14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
    27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts.
    And I show you a still more excellent way.