DISCOVERING JESUS STEP BY STEP
(Steps to Personal Discipleship)
LUKE 9:18-27
Based on their own personal experience, the first disciples discovered who really Jesus is. Step by step, let us learn from their first-hand experiences so that we can also know Him better.
I - HE IS OUR SAVIOR THAT REQUIRED PERSONAL DISCOVERY
Hearing about Christ from others is not enough, We must know Him by Personal Discovery.
Luk 9:18 Once when Jesus was praying by himself, and his disciples were nearby, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
Luk 9:19 They answered, "John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others that one of the prophets of long ago has risen."
Luk 9:20 Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God."
II - HE IS THE REDEEMER WHO GAVE HIS LIFE AS SACRIFICE WILLINGLY
Christ Mission is not to satisfy our own ambition but to suffer and die willingly for our salvation.
Luk 9:21 But he forcefully commanded them not to tell this to anyone,
Luk 9:22 saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."
The greatest miracle in the Bible is not the parting of the Red Sea, or the raising of Lazarus from the dead-but the conversion of an individual by the power of God so that the person becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus
TERMS OF SALVATION: All accomplished by Christ on the Cross.
1. Redemption: speaks more of the means of salvation (the payment of a price to bring one back to God).
2. Reconciliation: speaks of the restoration of lost personal relationship through the mediator who is Christ
3. Propitiation: speaks of the appeasing of God's wrath and winning God’s favor by the substitution done by the Son of God on the cross in behalf of the condemned world.
4. Regeneration: speaks of the new birth and of being made alive in Christ (John 3:3).
TENSES OF SALVATION:
1. Past tense - We have been saved from the penalty of sin (called justification)
2. Present tense - We are being saved from the power of sin (called sanctification)
3. Future tense - We shall be saved from the presence of sin (called glorification)
MORE ABOUT JUSTIFICATION:
To "justify" means "to declare righteous" or "to put into a right relationship." Justification is the act of God whereby those who put their faith in Christ are declared righteous in God's eyes, and are set free from guilt and punishment for sin. Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
There are three elements of justification:
• The forgiveness of sins. Acts 13:38-39a says, "... Through (Jesus) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things."
• The removal of guilt. Romans 8:1a says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (that is, to those who are justified).
• The imputation of righteousness. In Romans 4:6, David describes the blessedness of those unto whom God "imputeth righteousness without (apart from) works." Romans 4:5 makes it clear that he is talking about a person who is justified by faith.
Those who are justified are not only forgiven, but are declared not guilty, and are acquitted. Their past sins are canceled, and they are counted "just as if they had not sinned."
There are several other factors related to justification:
• The source of justification is God's free grace. Romans 3:24 says, "Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
• The ground of justification is Christ's blood. Romans 5:9 says, "Much more ... being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."
• The condition for justification is faith in Christ. Galatians 2:16a says, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ."
• The evidence of justification is good works. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
III - HE IS THE MASTER THAT DEMANDS OUR HIGHEST DUTY
Salvation is free because it was already paid by Christ. But Discipleship is costly and we must be willing to pay its price daily.
Luk 9:23 Then he said to them all, "If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.
DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN SALVATION AND DISCIPLESHIP:
1. Salvation is a free gift; discipleship is costly.
2. Salvation relates primarily to Christ as Savior; discipleship relates primarily to Christ as Master and Lord.
3. Salvation’s condition is "believe"; discipleship’s conditions are abide, obey, love, deny oneself, take up the cross, follow, lose one’s life, etc.
4. Salvation is a new birth; discipleship is a lifetime of growth.
5. Salvation depends on Christ’s work on the Cross for all people; discipleship depends on a believer carrying his or her cross for Christ.
6. Salvation is a response to Christ’s death and resurrection; discipleship is a response to Christ’s life.
7. Salvation determines eternal destiny; discipleship determines eternal and temporal rewards.
8. Salvation is obtained by faith; discipleship is obtained by faith through works.
9. Salvation is God’s gift to us because Jesus died for us on the cross. Discipleship is our gift to Him as we take up our cross, die to self, and follow the Lord in everything.
IV - HE IS THE BEST CHOICE WORTHY OF OUR TOP PRIORITY
The reward of discipleship is hidden on our willingness to surrender the things that we desire in exchange for the better one
Luk 9:24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Luk 9:25 For what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself?
Luk 9:26 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
V - HE IS OUR KING WHO REIGNS FROM HERE AND TO ETERNITY
You don’t have to die physically to see and experience the Kingdom of Christ. You can experience it here and now.
Luk 9:27 But I tell you most certainly, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God."
DISCOVERING JESUS STEPS BY STEPS
1. HE IS OUR SAVIOR THAT REQUIRED PERSONAL DISCOVERY
2. HE IS THE REDEEMER WHO GAVE HIS LIFE AS SACRIFICE WILLINGLY
3. HE IS THE MASTER THAT DEMANDS OUR HIGHEST DUTY
4. HE IS THE BEST CHOICE WORTHY OF OUR TOP PRIORITY
5. HE IS OUR KING WHO REIGNS FROM HERE AND TO ETERNITY
