10/25/2009
Requirements of being a disciple
Luke 14:25-35
Introduction-
we are looking this morning in the fifth part of the series B.A.S.I.C..
We looked at Jesus, Being Born Again, Holiness, The Church, and this morning, being a disciple.
You have to remember why I felt to start a series, it was because of some of the questions that was asked.
If you really don’t understand Jesus or believe in Him..would God really keep you out of heaven?
I don’t like organized church, can I stay home and just watch t.v. preachers?
Being a disciple.
We touched a little of it concerning the church last week. We may not finish it this morning.
Luke 14:25-35 Read
Those are heavy words of Jesus.
People take that several different ways.
I don’t want to serve a God like that.
It is impossible to serve a God like that.
The new catch phrase of people today- that is mean spirited.
Question-
Is Jesus really telling you that you must hate your family? Of course not
That is why it is important to find out the context of when and who , and how it was said.
The word hate comes from a Greek word that means to “Love less”.
What he is saying that we must love Jesus more than our family, we must love our enemies.
We cannot love Jesus less than our family.
What He is telling us
If we have to chose living life our way or the way that he wants us to live, we must chose Him. That we must be willing to surrender our will to His will.
Remember last week:
That a disciple of Christ was a follower of Christ.
As a disciple we are to be the image of Christ.
We should mirror the things that Jesus has taught us.
Let’s look at the first disciples and what Jesus was telling them to do.
A disciple did not only learn from the teacher.
He mirrored them.
He followed them.
He became him as best he could.
They were sold out to the teacher.
Characteristics of the first disciples
1. They decided to follow the teacher
2. Memorized the teachers words
3. Learned the teacher’s way of ministry.
4. Imitated the teachers life and character.
5. Raised up their own disciples.
That is why Jesus said Matthew 28:20 “Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you”
Did you know that John the Baptist had his own disciples? His own followers.
Only two of them immediately left Jesus after hearing Him. The Bible says that later more followed.
Being a disciple was a commitment to your teacher.
The Zealots wanted to follow Jesus, not for sharpening the skills of studying the law, but sharpening the sword to attack the government.
Once they learned what Jesus was teaching, they no longer desired to be committed to such a cause.
Here is one thing that we can say and agree about first century disciples.
They were committed.
They understood the responsibilities of being a follower.
They accepted the role of being a follower.
After we understand the first disciples, we can go back to the text and see what Jesus was telling them. (Us)
(V25)- He tells us that Jesus has to be first in our lives.
There has to be a committed relationship.
That we have to follow Him, or we are not His disciples.
If that is what He is telling us.
If that is the definition of first disciples. How are we doing?
Are we true disciples? Has the church universal lost the definition of being a disciple?
The Hebrew writer says
Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
These are the great cloud of witnesses. They taught us faith. Notice with their actions, they showed us what it means to believe.
Faith that doesn’t result in action isn’t faith.
Today: (people think)
Come in where it is safe and secure, rather than teaching that it is a call to believe in Christ and we are compelled to following Him.
Believing without discipleship is not believing, it is knowing religious facts about Jesus Christ.
Jesus commanded “Make disciples” wasn’t just referring to new converts, but followers that follow Christ.
The evidence of Salvation is living a life that is transformed.
The gospel requires us to obey everything that Christ taught..
We need to see more transformed lives.
We cannot chose what we want to believe, what we will do and what we won’t do.
I’m not talking about earning salvation.
I am talking about proof of salvation. (Evidence of a life changed)
Does the gospel we live produce disciples or religious consumers?
(V28)- “suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will you not set down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?
Jesus said this on His way to Jerusalem.
He was on his way to the cross.
They thought he was on his way to be the new emperor.
Jesus said this to his followers.
(V28)- “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus”
He knew a lot of them were following for the wrong reasons.
Some for miracles
Some for the power to take them out of the hands of the Romans.
Some because they loved Jesus.
There are some truths we must face.
It is possible to be a follower of Jesus without being a disciple.
To be a follower, but not a soldier.
Distant listener, but not a doer of His Words.
Scholar, knowing Him but never applying truths to our lives.
Write this down this morning
There is a cost to following Jesus
We must count the cost.
The tower Jesus is talking about is probably a vineyard tower. You cannot lay a foundation and stop short of completing it..
We cannot be a disciple of Christ without following and obeying Christ.
We live in a society of no commitment.
Limited time offer- we are quick to get in and quick to get out”
Discipleship is not only for the beginners. It is a lifestyle.
You don’t arrive, you just keep achieving.
Discipleship is not just for the pastor and the leadership.
Discipleship in the churches has become optional.
Jesus said, I trained you, now go train others. That is the great commission.
“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
Come to Christ, repent, be baptized.
To the first century church, that meant something because for them to be baptized out in a river, with some of their friends and family watching, the Pharisees’s that now hated hem, it was a big deal.
Today, in our churches, we do most of the time our baptizing in a controlled environment and with all kinds of believers around. Back then, it really was a test of faith, there really was a cost to follow Jesus. They expressed, ackowledged their allegiance to Christ.
This week, I went to a get motivated seminar with several from the church. They had several great speakers for the whole day. Some of you know that Zig Ziglar is one of my favorite speakers. I have quoted him often. He was there and is the main reason that I wanted to go. When he came out, he was escorted by his son. Zig is 83 years old and has vertigo, which meant that he was dizzy and easily could of fell off the stage.
When you believe in something so strongly, it won’t matter some of the obstacles you have to face. He beat vertigo by having his son there, but the message got out.
Being committed to the cause and the message.
Stop asking yourself “Am I able to follow Jesus completely” and start asking “Am I willing to follow Jesus completely”
Jesus promises to help us, he promises to be with us.
There is no such thing as an instant disciple.
It takes determination. It takes commitment.
It takes getting knocked down and standing back up.
Disciples are made, not born.
Illustration-
From time to time, lobsters have to leave their shells in order to grow. They need the shell to protect them from being torn apart, yet when they grow, the old shell must be abandoned. If they did not abandon it, the old shell would soon become their prison--and finally their casket. The tricky part for the lobster is the brief period of time between when the old shell is discarded and the new one is formed. During that terribly vulnerable period, the transition must be scary to the lobster. Currents gleefully cartwheel them from coral to kelp. Hungry schools of fish are ready to make them a part of their food chain. For a while at least, that old shell must look pretty good. We are not so different from lobsters. To change and grow, we must sometimes shed our shells--a structure, a framework--we’ve depended on. Discipleship means being so committed to Christ that when he bids us to follow, we will change, risk, grow, and leave our shells behind.
Discipleship is not a program. You don’t graduate and get to stare at your diploma.
People today find ways to be Christian without being Christlike. (Oxymoron)
A disciple submits to his teacher.
A disciple finds and teaches others.
Apostle Paul told Timothy
“What you have heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith, love in Jesus Christ. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you, guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us” 2 Timothy 1:13-14
Closing:
I realize this morning, some will say that’s nice preacher and some will get it.
Apostle Paul stood on Mars Hill (I’ve talk to people who seemed they were from Mars)
Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are religious. I even found an altar with this inscription: To an unknown God. Now what you worship as something unknown, I am going to proclaim to you.” Acts 17:22-23
Salvation is free, ... but discipleship will cost you your life. — Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Illustration-
Brennan Manning wrote: “If Jesus would appear at your dining table tonight with knowledge of everything you are and are not, total comprehension of your life story and every skeleton hidden in your closet; if he laid out the real state of your present discipleship with the hidden agenda, the mixed motives, and the dark desires buried in your psyche, you would feel his acceptance and forgiveness.”
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