Are You A Disciple?

3. THE PRICE OF DISCIPLESHIP.

Mt 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

* Remember, a disciple is one a convinced adherent of another person and commits his life to emulate that person.

3 Requirements of a Disciple of Jesus Christ

(1) Deny himself.

Make personal desires and goals secondary in life and make God’s Will his #1 priority.

* When I truly “got it” around 1990, I began to restructure my life around God’s will for me. I was in church regularly. I studied the Bible. I learned to share my faith. My #1 priority became pleasing God and sharing Christ every chance I got.

(2) Take up his cross.

This Brought a vivid image to His hearers. Estimates are over 30,000 people were crucified during Jesus lifetime alone. It was a brutal and shameful way to die.

* Today, taking up your cross is not living with an unsaved spouse.

It is not living with a nagging wife. Living with illness, disease or a physical handicap.

* Taking up your cross has always meant your willingness to endure any hardship for the cause of Christ.

The willingness to endure any shame, embarrassment, persecution, or hardship.

It means that you will sacrifice your life and resources for the cause of Christ just as He sacrificed everything for the cause of YOU!

(3) Follow Me.

Only when a person denies himself and takes up his cross is he ready and able to follow Christ.

* True discipleship is submission to the Lordship of Christ. To follow Christ is to put God’s plan for your life into action. It means that “wherever He leads you will go.”

What I have discovered.......

* If God tells you to go to the mission field, you’ll be following Him because He’s already there!

* If He tells you to teach a class, you'll be following Him because He’s already prepared the lesson.

* If He tells you to preach the Word, you'll be following Him because He’s already prepared the message.

4. THE PRIZE OF DISCIPLESHIP.

(1) The Choice before you.

Mt 16:25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Jesus is speaking about your worldly life and eternal life.

* Worldly life- sin, selfishness, your own will.

* Eternal life- entering the Kingdom of God.

You will either choose this worldly life over Christ or you will choose Christ over this world. It’s your choice, but you can’t have it both ways.

(2) The Booby Prize.

Mt 16:26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

“Let’s Make a Deal”- Monty Hall, everybody dresses up to play games and win prizes. At the end, 2 of them get to choose whatever is behind door #1, 2, or 3. They have to give up the prize they've already won in order to have the chance to win a better prize. If you chose well, you get an awesome prize, but if you chose poorly you might win a donkey and brokedown cart.

* Spiritually speaking, those that selfishly choose the world, they win the Booby Prize. It is a permanent change of residence when they die to a place called Hell, where darkness is complete and torment is eternal. Where the worm never dies and fires are never quenched.