Being A True Disciple Part 2
Part 2…
Being A True Disciple
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.”
To truly follow Jesus is to be a disciple. All disciples are followers but not all followers are disciples.
John 12:26 (NLT) Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
Who Is a Disciple
A disciple is not one who has been trained until he can do. A disciple is one who has been disciplined until he becomes like His Master.
Matthew 10:24-25 (NKJV) 24 “A disciple is not above [his] teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 “It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more [will they call] those of his household!
More than a student (trained in skills, learns how to do.)
More than a follower (trained to imitate, to act like, without actually becoming.)
More than a soldier, more like a Marine. ( Not merely trained for service, but transformed forever… “Once a Marine, always a Marine.”)
Followers are “easy come, easy go.”
To make followers, all one needs to do is to make enough noise, be flashy, be entertaining or even be obnoxious enough to get the attention of the masses; become famous.
One needs not provide any lasting value, only be well known.
Jesus is not impressed with followers. He is interested in disciples.
John 2:23-25 (NLT) 23 Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. 24 But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature. 25 No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like.
Convenience shoppers cannot make the commitment to discipleship.
I am a follower of the way, because of what I get. When I stop getting, I stop following. When the demands are too much, when it is no longer convenient, I will stop following.
Matthew 16:24-25 (NLT) 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
The cost of discipleship
Luke 14:25-35 (NLT) 25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison--your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. 28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ 31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. 34 “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? 35 Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”
Jesus appears to discourage people from becoming His disciples.
Appearances notwithstanding, Jesus is displaying integrity. Following Jesus, without a determination to pay the full cost of discipleship will not produce the right outcome for the follower.
Matthew 20:28 (NLT) For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
If Jesus was looking out for Himself, then He would have lowered the standard to gain more followers.
But since He is looking out for us, He has to tell us the truth, even when that would risk losing our followership.
Unlike mere followers, true disciples follow their Lord to the bitter end.
John 6:60-71 (NLT) 60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” 61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.” 66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” 68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” 71 He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.
Good Christian leaders are disciple-makers because disciples are never self-made.
Matthew 28:18-19 (NLT) 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
John 8:31-32 (NLT) 31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
4 Marks of Good Disciples (Self-check)
Teachable Spirit…
The teacher can teach, but the student has to do the learning.
Romans 12:2; Hebrews 13:7 (ESV) Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
Hebrews 13:17 (ESV) Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
2. Selflessly seeking the good of others
1 Corinthians 10:24 (NLT) Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.
Selfishness is the most unChristlike quality. It is the opposite of love.
Isaiah 53:1-12 (NLT) 1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm? 2 My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. 3 He was despised and rejected-- a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all. 7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. 9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. 10 But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in his hands. 11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. 12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.
3Humility in service… no task beneath us
Philippians 2:5 is the precept, theory, of humility.
Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.
John 13:12-17 (NLT) is the practical application of the precept.
12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
James 3:13 (NLT) If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
In a hurting and confused world, too many opportunities to be a blessing are missed because they require us to go lower than we are willing to go.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. How low did He go! Which asks the question of us, "How low can we go?" How can we who have the Spirit of Christ, a Spirit distinguished by such uncommon humility, ever walk in pride? Of all sins, none is more odious to God than the sin of pride.
4. Patient endurance of suffering, especially when unjust.
1 Peter 2:19-23 (NLT) 19 For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment. 20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. 21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. 22 He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. 23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.
