Discipleship
The Meaning of Discipleship
Sunday, April 11, 2010 am
Reading: Mark 8:34-38
Introduction:
This morning, we’re beginning a new adventure. We’re starting a new sermon series on discipleship. I’m afraid that “discipleship” is a term that most of us would rather avoid; perhaps not altogether, but at least we would like to avoid taking it too seriously. You see, right at the beginning of the word is the idea of discipline. And let’s face it, folks, we’re not very disciplined in anything.
When it comes to describing who we are as spiritual people we generally prefer to be known as Christians. It sounds so much easier than being a disciple. But we would do good to remember that the term disciple came first and that the disciples were later called “Christians” (Acts 11:26).
Spirituality in America is rarely defined as being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Why is it that Christmas is such a big holiday, but soon after the baby Jesus from the nativity set is put away until next year, so are the implications of God taking on the mantle of humanity and living among us. Baby Jesus is just a baby. He’s cute, he’s small, he never cries, he makes no demands. What’s not to love?
Even when it comes to Jesus, we want to pick and choose. We want the baby Jesus, who’s away in the manger not making a sound. But we’re not so excited about the grown up Jesus who said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
The apostle Peter had the same problem, did you know that. If you still have your Bibles open to Mark 8, Look back at verse 31.
Mark 8:31-32 ESV And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. (32)And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Can you just here Peter? “Lord, what do you mean “suffer”. You’re not going to suffer. You’re the Son of God. You don’t have to suffer. Be rejected? Who would reject you Lord? Why they wouldn’t dare! There going to kill you? No way!”
Isn’t that what you or I would likely say? More than likely. But look at Jesus response to this kind of thinking.
Mark 8:33 ESV But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."
Discipleship isn’t about taking the easy road. It’s about walking on the narrow road, so narrow that you may at times be walking alone.
Jesus then defines discipleship in the simplest of terms, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Let’s take a closer look.
Lesson:
I. “Let him deny himself. . .”
A. The word that is used here means “to utterly reject”, “to cast off”, “to disown”.
1. Do you get how serious this is?
a. Jesus is not saying that he should be our highest priority.
b. He’s saying that he should be our only priority.
2. But if Jesus is our only priority, what about everything else?
a. You know the answer to that.
b. Jesus said, Matthew 6:33 ESV But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
c. If Jesus is our only priority, everything else will take care if itself.
B. When Jesus speaks of denying yourself, He’s not talking about giving up smoking, or certain foods, or saying you have no self worth.
1. He is saying to be His disciple you surrender control of your life to His person and his power.
2. It means that when you face decisions in life, you make those decisions based talking to Him about it first and obeying Him.
3. It means following Jesus wherever he may lead you.
4. It means doing what he asks of you, even if you can’t see the value of it.
C. What would Jesus do.
1. A few years ago, everyone was wearing these WWJD bracelets, hats and t-shirts.
2. I heard about one man who was in a store looking at a ball-cap with WWJD emblazoned on the front.
a. He looked at the cap.
b. He looked at the price tag.
c. He thought to himself, “I don’t think that Jesus would spend $14 on a ball-cap.”
3. How many of you have ever read, “In His Steps.”
a. That’s where this WWJD stuff came from.
b. It was written by Charles Sheldon 111 years ago, but it’s worth the read.
c. It’s about a man and then a town that decided to ask the question, “What would Jesus do?” in any and every situation.
1.) What do you think would happen in your life if you asked the question, “What would Jesus do?” every time you faced a decision?
2.) What do think would happen to our community if everyone asked themselves the same question?
D. This one issue is what separates the believers in Christ from the disciples of Christ.
1. The primary cause of religious division is the failure to deny self.
2. We’re so used to “having it our way” when we go to Burger King that we carry that same attitude into the church.
3. Jesus doesn’t want 400 different churches—he wants one.
a. He shed his blood for one church—his church.
b. He died on the cross for one church—his church.
c. But men discontent with doing things God’s way have devised their own ways and founded their own churches.
d. But they are not Christ’s and that is not Christ’s way.
4. The church in Corinth was terribly divided.
a. “I follow Christ.”
b. “I follow Paul.”
c. “I follow Apollos.”
d. “I follow Peter.”
5. Listen to what the apostle Paul wrote to them. 1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
E. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there weren’t 400 different competing churches, but only one?
1. Where all were in agreement.
2. Where there was harmony and love.
3. But perhaps the cost is too high.
4. It would require us to deny ourselves; a price that for many is too high to pay.
F. Look at what Jesus says in Mark 8:35 ESV For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.
1. If you think your way is better than God’s way, you’re only fooling yourself.
2. And it will be costly; the life you think you are saving will be lost.
3. Life is found in denying yourself, losing your life by investing in Christ’s life.
4. That’s the only life worth living.
a. The abundant life is the life of self denial.
b. Eternal life is the life of self denial.
G. "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself. . .”
II. “. . .Take up his cross. . .”
A. When we think of a cross today, it’s most often a piece of fine jewelry.
1. Silver or gold polished smooth.
2. And reasonably priced.
B. But Jesus was talking about an entirely different type of cross.
1. It was an instrument of pain, suffering, rejection and death.
2. The wood it was made of was not planed and sanded smooth.
3. It was rough and splintery.
4. It was attached to you by spikes driven though your hands and feet.
5. It was not swift and painless, it was slow and tortuous.
C. When someone is going through some difficulty, it is often said, “That’s his cross to bear,” but Jesus means far more than that here.
1. It means that Jesus must not only be your Savior, he must also be the one you willingly serve as Lord.
2. It means that you are going to do his will no matter what others say.
3. It means that you are going to serve him no matter the danger or the cost.
4. It means that your life is lived on the cross.
D. Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20 ESV I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
1. And that is exactly what he meant.
2. We not only deny our self.
3. We live for Christ.
4. We put to death the Old Man and die to sin every day to live with and or Christ.
E. Listen to these words from 1 Peter 2:21 ESV For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
III. “. . .And follow me.”
A. In Jesus’ day a disciple lived with his teacher.
1. Consider the twelve chosen by Jesus.
2. He didn’t teach them in a classroom; the world was their classroom.
3. They went everywhere together.
4. Other than the times that Jesus went to be by himself to pray, his disciples were always with him.
B. The call of the Teacher to his disciples was “follow me.”
1. Jesus was not just teaching his disciples how to act in certain circumstances.
2. He was teaching them to be like him in any and every situation.
C. Today, we have compartmentalized our lives so much.
1. Sports superheroes may be great teachers of the game.
2. But very few are worth following in their personal lives.
3. We need role models; we need leaders who will disciple us.
a. 1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
b. 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.
D. How can we follow Jesus?
1. It’s pretty hard if you never spend any time with him.
2. Spend some time getting to know Jesus better in the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
a. We not only learn about Jesus.
b. We see how he interacted with his disciples.
c. We learn the lessons they learned by being in his presence.
3. Don’t forget the rest of the New Testament.
a. They contain letters from teachers to their disciples.
b. They describe the church and its members—the disciples of Jesus.
4. Spend time regularly and often with the church—other disciples.
a. There is much we can learn from each other.
b. And when the cross we are called to bear gets heavy beyond our ability to carry, they will help share the load.
c. Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, (25)not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
5. Spend time in prayer, pouring your heart out to God.
Invitation:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (35)For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. (36)For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? (37)For what can a man give in return for his soul? (38)For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Jesus calls people to himself through the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). The idea that God would become one of us and willingly go to the cross to bear our sins should draw us to Jesus like flies on honey.
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”
Deny yourself; pick up your cross and follow Jesus.
Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Will you repent of your sins? Will you join yourself to him in baptism? Will you take up the cross of service and follow him wherever he may lead?
Come.
Song: “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”
