The Four Invitations to Discipleship
Matthew 16:24-26
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Introduction: What would be your definition of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? I’m afraid that for many millions of professing Christians their only interest in discipleship is in “punching their ticket to heaven.” Jesus call to discipleship is a calling to deny self, crossing and following him. Discipleship to Jesus is the process of engaging in the practices that produce Christlikeness.
The first thing I want you to notice is…
I. The Invitation to Come and See
This is a call to investigate the claims of Christ. “If any will come after me…”
The call to discipleship includes an invitation to be a “learner” which is what the word disciple means. The Lord invites us to “learn of me…” for I am meek and lowly of heart and this call to discipleship includes a command that we invite others to come and see. When we find Jesus our response should be to invite others to “come and see.”
John 1:39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
The Samaritan women whom Jesus met at the well drank of the “living water” and then went into town and invited the townspeople to “come and see…” a man that told me all about my life. Is not this the Christ?
John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
II. The Invitation to Come and Follow
This is a call to abandonment. “Let him deny himself…”
Luke 14: 16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
Jesus called multiple individuals to “follow him.” Follow me he told Peter and his fellow fishermen and I will make you to become “fishers of men.”
Levi (Matthew) is seated at the seat of custom, and Jesus sees him and commands him to “follow me.”
ILL: Mark Batterson said in his book: “All In” – “Most people in most churches think they are following Jesus, but I’m not so sure. They may think they are following Jesus, but the reality is this: they have invited Jesus to follow them.”
Too many times I want Jesus to follow me, to serve my purposes, to do my will. But, I want you to join me in saying: “God, I want you to revive my life. I want to follow you. Help me to get out of the way. Navigate my life into following your will.”
ILL: "If you want to follow Jesus," remarked the activist priest Berigan, "you had better look good on wood."
III. The Invitation to Come and Die
This is a call to surrender. “…and take up his cross…”
Verse 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Abraham laid down his Isaac. Lay down your Isaac today and remember the words of Andrew Murray: God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.
ILL: Bruce Larson tells how he helped people struggling to surrender their lives to Christ:
"For many years I worked in New York City and counseled at my office any number of people who were wrestling with this yes-or-no decision. Often I would suggest they walk with me from my office down to the RCA Building on Fifth Avenue. In the entrance of that building is a gigantic statue of Atlas, a beautifully proportioned man who, with all his muscles straining, is holding the world upon his shoulders. There he is, the most powerfully built man in the world, and he can barely stand up under this burden. 'Now that’s one way to live,' I would point out to my companion, 'trying to carry the world on your shoulders. But now come across the street with me.'
"On the other side of Fifth Avenue is Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, and there behind the high altar is a little shrine of the boy Jesus, perhaps eight or nine years old, and with no effort he is holding the world in one hand. My point was illustrated graphically.
"We have a choice. We can carry the world on our shoulders, or we can say, 'I give up, Lord; here's my life. I give you my world.'"
ILL: NO SALVATION WITHOUT SURRENDER
So in case some left it out or forgot to mention it when they explained what it meant to be a Christian, let me be clear: There is no forgiveness without repentance. There is no salvation without surrender. There is no life without death. There is no believing without committing.
Kyle Idleman, "Not a Fan" (p. 35)
ILL: FEW WHO BEAR HIS CROSS
In Thomas á Kempis' book, The Imitation of Christ he says,
Jesus has many who love his kingdom in heaven, but few who bear his cross. He has many who desire comfort, but few who desire suffering. He finds many to share his feast, but few his fasting. All desire to rejoice with him, but few are willing to suffer for his sake. Many follow Jesus to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the cup of his passion. Many admire his miracles, but few follow him in the humiliation of the cross.
IV. The Invitation to Go and Do
This is a call to practice. “…and follow me…”
Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Mark 16:14-18 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Conclusion: If I call myself a disciple of Jesus how much do I resemble Him in character and conduct? Am I practicing the things that produce this Christlikeness?
ILL: One day a man was talking to his grandson right after he had graduated from high school. And he asked, "My boy, what are your plans? What are you going to do with your life?"
The grandson said, "I plan to go to college & then graduate from college. His grandfather said, "Great, what then?"
"After I get out of college I plan to start my career." "Fine," said grandpa, "what then?"
"Well, I guess I’ll get married & settle down & have a family." "Fine," said the grandpa, "what then?"
"To be honest with you, I really want to make a lot of money, & have enough to save for a rainy day." "All right," said the grandpa, "what then?"
"Well," he said, "If I can, I plan to retire early & sit back & enjoy life. We’ll travel & see the world."
"All right," said the grandpa, "What then?"
"Well," said the boy, "I guess like everybody else, someday I’ll grow old & die." "All right," said the granddad. "But what then?"
The Gospel is needed because it is the only thing that answers the question, "What then?"
ILL: *The closer we get to Jesus, the more we will see a change in our lives.
*Jonah Jones had a terrible childhood. Jonah’s parents were drug traffickers who introduced him to cocaine when he was 8-years-old. Unbelievable! -- but true. Worse than that, Jonah’s stepfather raped him. His mother abused him both emotionally and physically. When the couple had parties for customers, Jonah said, “People could rape me, beat me, or do whatever they wanted. I was the party favor.” From grade school through young adulthood, he worked in the family business, which each month brought tons of cocaine into the United States.
*But one day, Jonah’s car broke down near a church. He stepped in to use the phone, but was ushered into the sanctuary. He sat through the music; then, the pastor began to speak. Jonah later wrote, “As the preacher talked, it was like he knew who I was. I started perspiring. By the time I got up to the front to pray, I knew God was real. I had found a Savior who was just. I knew that if I would pray, He would take away my sin. He would make me new!”
*After getting saved, Jonah broke with his family and began to run. He stopped in a rescue mission in Shreveport. There, he found help with his drug habit and emotional wounds. Jonah and another recovering addict began to write songs about the hope they found in Jesus Christ. Jonah also decided to pursue a degree in counseling. He joined a Baptist church, where he met his wife.
*Jonah said: “It doesn’t matter how bad you think you are. There is help and there is hope. God is full of mercy and grace.”
*How foolish we would be not to follow Him. Thank God it’s not too late for us! Start right now! -- Or renew your commitment to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus.
*Article from “Bridges” a 1997 Tabloid published by the Louisiana Baptist Convention
ILL: When we choose to follow Jesus, we are walking in his steps.
When I was being taught how to clear a minefield our instructor told us to step precisely in the footprint left by the person in front of us. The concept was simple: since the person in front of us stepped on a spot that didn’t set off a landmine, the only spot guaranteed to be safe was the ground under that footprint. Stepping anywhere else meant risking death.
The person at the front of the patrol is called the “point man.” His job is to make sure he clears any mines or booby traps before moving forward. Everyone else’s job is to walk where he walks and step where he steps.
When we say we’re following Jesus, living as Jesus lived and doing what Jesus did, we are letting Jesus be the point man in our lives.
