WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST?
- Read Luke 9:23-25
What does it mean to be a follower of Christ? What does it mean to be a disciple? Does it mean that you’re going to get everything you want? Does it mean God will make you prosperous? Does it mean that you have to fulfill certain obligations like going to church? What does it mean to be a follower of Christ?
Look back with me, if you will, to Luke chapter Luke chapter 8 and verse 22. Follow along, if you will, while we skim a bit.
If you’ll think back, you’ll remember that the disciples have been traveling with Jesus for a while now. They’ve heard Him teach. They’ve seen His life.
In chapter 8 beginning in verse 22, Luke records that in the middle of a storm, the disciples woke Jesus up. He spoke to the wind and the waves, and they became calm. Later in the same chapter, they saw Jesus cast a bunch of demons out of a man. The demons went into some pigs, who then drowned themselves. Later in the same chapter, a woman was healed by touching Jesus’ clothes, and then Jesus raised a 12-year-old girl from the dead.
In chapter 9, Jesus sent the disciples out with the power and authority to heal the sick and to cast out demons. Later in the same chapter the disciples saw Jesus multiply loaves and fish to feed over 5000 people.
After feeding the 5000, Jesus prayed alone, and then visiting with the disciples He asked them, “Who do the people say I am?” The disciples answered different things. Then Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered in verse 20 of chapter 9, “God’s Messiah.”
Jesus then tells them He’s going to die & be resurrected. In the other Gospels we read that Peter tries to stop Jesus & Jesus rebukes him.
Then Jesus shares with them, and with the crowds, what it really means to follow Him.
He looks around Him at His disciples and at the crowd also gathered there and says, “are you only in it for what you can get? Are you only following Me for the oohs and aughs? Let Me tell you what is required if you want to follow Me. These are the requirements of discipleship.
Jesus says, “If you want to be a follower of Mine, if you’re going to be more than a looker-on, or a camp follower; if you’re going to be in My program, here’s what’s required.
I. REQUIREMENTS OF DISCIPLESHIP
1. Deciding – First you must decide that you will be more than a hanger-on. You have to decide that you will follow Him. In verse 23 He says, “If anyone wants to come with Me.” If you want to be a disciple of Jesus, if you want to be a follower of His, you must decide.
2. Denying Yourself – First, you must deny yourself. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ, means more than simply knowing that He is the Messiah. It means that you are also willing to deny yourself. Denying yourself doesn’t mean so much, thinking less of yourself. It means, thinking of yourself less.
a. Wisdom In denying yourself, you deny your wisdom. It was the wisdom of Moses that led him to kill the Egyptian. It was the wisdom of God that delivered Israel from Egypt.
b. Families – In denying yourself, you no longer allow your families, and their preferences, keep you from following Christ. You love Him more than them.
c. Friends – You deny your friendships. You cut loose those that keep you from growing, or than keep you from being a true disciple of Christ.
d. Property – You deny ownership, or the rights to your property. You place everything you have in the Lord’s hands to do with as He pleases. You say, “Lord, no material thing, no possession, no toy or hobby will be more important in my life than you. I have a friend who has a pretty good library. She uses her books quite regularly, and yet she is willing to loan them to people when they ask. Although she values her books, she says, “They belong to the Lord and I trust Him with them. He knows where they need to go and who needs them.”
I know a successful doctor who lives in a house considerably older and somewhat smaller than many of yours, who told his wife that they were going to have to keep driving the cars they had for another 2 years, because they were investing in the Lord’s work.
e. Preferences – Being a disciple of Christ also means that you deny, you forgo, you give up many of your preferences for Christ. Before anything that is truly of God can be born, your own preferences have to die. Your desire to serve or lead in this type of church or that, has to be laid on the altar & sacrificed in order to receive Christ’s call and mission to this community.
Henry Blackaby says that when he is seeking the Lord’s direction and the Lord’s will, he has to reach the place where he can honestly go before the Lord with no will of his own in the matter. Then he is able to pray and find the Lord’s direction.
Paul was speaking to that when in Romans 12:1 he said, “I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God, to present yourself, a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God.
> Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.
A disciple decides to be a follower of Christ. A disciple denies himself and chooses instead to serve another.
3. Taking up your Cross
We speak lightly of “bearing our crosses” these days. Not everything you endure, not everything you suffer is a cross. The Bible says:
> Psalm 32:10 Many pains come to the wicked, …
A cross is something you willing, voluntarily endure or accept, simply because you are a Christian and have chosen to follow Christ’s path instead of your own.
Taking up your cross means you have a willingness to do anything, even suffer martyrdom, if need be, for Christ. It man mean leaving where you live and are comfortable, because Jesus lays it on your heart to serve somewhere else. It means sticking to your guns, even when your friends or family call you a holy-roller or some such thing because you will not abandon your convictions.
Jesus says, If you want to be My disciple, you must decide that you will deny your rights, and follow My path. It means you will take up your cross, do whatever I call you to do.
4. Follow Christ – It is a daily decision to walk with Jesus. Christianity is not an add-on to our already full, self-directed way of life. Discipleship means deliberately choosing to follow another person’s way rather than making our own.
II. REASONS FOR DISCIPLESHIP
- Luke 9:24-25
1. Selfishness brings Loss
The things you try to gather, the things you try to save for yourself you end up losing anyway.
Examples …
2. Sacrifice brings Salvation
The things we work for, the things we build, when serving as disciples of Jesus, will last. They will stand the test of time.
Examples …
My friends, the choice is your’s. …
