Being A Disciple

Being A Disciple – Luke 14: 25 - 33

Intro: I am going to propose to the Session to initiate three new provisions for continued membership in First Presbyterian Church. Those wishing to be members must:

1) submit to the Administration Committee a copy of your last three W2 forms along with the last three years of your income tax returns.

2) sign over the title to your current home to the Pastor while continuing to pay any mortgage due.

3) put in the offering plate next Sunday the keys and title to your most recent automobile.

If you are willing to comply with all three of those demands, raise your hand. (Any who are willing to comply, please see Dr. Mary Cox after church today to make an appointment for a counseling session.)

I Jesus makes some demands upon the crowd of people following him if they want to be a disciple. VS. 25 – “if anyone comes to me and does not HATE father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters---yes even their own life---such a person cannot be my disciple.” Here hate does not mean anger or hostility. It does mean that if there is a conflict, demands of discipleship must take precedence.

A Multitudes followed Jesus. A variety of people: revolutionaries, visionaries, self-seeking individuals, those who believed Jesus would give them whatever they wanted.

B Things haven’t changed much. Is it possible to be a “follower of Jesus” without being a disciple/ being a camp-follower instead of a soldier / being a hanger-on instead of leading / being a pew-warmer instead of being involved and active?

C Contemporary Christianity has made it relatively easy. We can profess our faith and become a member. Ask yourself: Is there a difference between being a member and being a disciple?

II In VV 28 – 32 Jesus uses 2 parables to explain to the crowd the necessity of counting the cost of discipleship.

A We must first understand the word disciple. Disciple is only used in the gospels and the book of Acts. The actual Greek word is µa??te?? / matheteuo. The word translates into English as learner or a pupil. In the gospels, it also means an adherent who accepts the instruction given to them using it to rule their conduct.

B The definition of disciple makes clear the difference between a member and a disciple. A member is little more than a pew-warmer while a disciple uses all the teachings of Jesus to rule their life.

C Being a faithful disciple is definitely not for the faint of hearts. It requires total dedication that moves from wishing to careful deliberation and decision making.

III Jesus uses 2 parables to explain to the crowd to be a good disciple, one must count the cost and be willing to pay it fully.

A Both the parable of building a tower and the other of a king fighting a war illustrate why it is very important to calculate the cost of being a disciple.

B We admit there is a cost to everything we do. It is interesting to note that the word “COST” appears only appears only once in the entire N.T. and that is here. The GK word is dap??? / dapane carries the concept of devouring / expense / consuming / cost.

C COST is what we give up to acquire, accomplish, maintain, or produce something; therefore, it requires effort and resources.

Concl: One cannot be shallow or uncommitted to be a disciple of Jesus. Disciples learn to face life’s challenges and joys with a spirit of love, hope, faith, and peace that leads to an every deeper spirituality and a life of prophetic witness.

Being a disciple requires our ultimate loyalty focused on the Kingdom of God. Being a disciple is really about stewardship of our time, talents, possessions, and self. Real stewardship is more about how much we keep for ourselves than it is about how much we give to the work of the Church of Christ Jesus.