Being A True Disciple Part 1
Being A True Disciple
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
John 10:1-7 (NLT) 1 “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” 6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
The great need of today is not for better leaders. It is rather for better followers.
The life of Jesus is the best training manual for leadership/followership.
John 5:19 (ESV) So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
Jesus was a good follower, imitator of the Father.
John 5:19-30 (NLT)
19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
30 I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.
Different Kinds of “Followers”
Convenience shopper
I am a follower of the way, because of what I get. When I stop getting, I stop following.
John 6:23-66 (NLT)
Tag-along
I am a follower of the way, because I enjoy the company, I follow because my friends are there. John 1:44-51
Fan
I am a follower of the way because I want to be associated with the in-crowd. I like that church because of the music, the building, the lights, they are fun and are not too demanding. Ezekiel 33:30-33
Good Christian leaders are good only to the extent that they are good followers of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 11:1 (KJV) Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.
Those who follow Jesus most faithfully make the best leaders. They will often have to swim against cultural currents.
FOLLOWERS AND DISCIPLES
Followers always outnumber disciples.
All disciples are followers but not all followers are disciples.
Followers have several motives
Followers are not always sincere.
Disciples are more devoted than casual followers.
Disciples are not always true.
No matter how they start, every true follower ends up as a true disciple.
Peter ( unstable beginnings)
Nathaniel, (skeptic) John 1:35-51
John Mark (tag-along) Acts 15:36-41; 2 Timothy 4:11
Saul of Tarsus, (violent opponent) Acts 9:1-31
Lee Strobel (The Case for Christ)
You and I
The example of Demas
Philemon 1:23-24 (NLT) 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. 24 So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers.
Colossians 4:14 (NLT) Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings, and so does Demas.
2 Timothy 4:9-12 (NLT) 9 Timothy, please come as soon as you can. 10 Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
Everybody will eventually have to choose a master.
Luke 16:13 (ESV)
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
