“How am I Identified as a Disciple?”
Introduction:
How is it that people will know that I am a disciple of Jesus? I go to church every Sunday; does that make me a Christian? I tell people that I am a Christian; does that identify me as a disciple of Jesus? If I wear a WWJD does that identify me as disciple of Jesus? If I wear a cross around my neck does that identify me to the world as a follower of Jesus? There are very few people who would not claim to be a Christian, but what is it that identifies us to non Christians as a disciple. This is a very difficult thing to understand, because people cannot see our spirituality or our heart. People cannot see what we thing or what we feel. The only way people can identify us as a disciple of Jesus is to show it in the way in which we act and live in front of the world.
I don’t know about you, but I want people to know that I follow Jesus, not because I think I am better than anyone else, but I want people to be drawn to Jesus because of the way that I love. I want people to know why I act the way that I do. I don’t ever want people to be surprised that I am a Christian.
I heard a story of a few Christians who went out to dinner together. They thought that they would have great fellowship with each other. As that sat together their conversation became a little immoral, but they were just kidding around. They left no indication that they were Christians. As the meal came to a close, the people began talking to the waitress. As she found out that they were leaders in the local church, the waitress was shocked that they were even Christians.
Will people be shocked when they find out that you are a Christian, or will you be easily identified as a Christian?
You may ask why it matters if anyone knows I am a Christian. You may think that it is pride-filled to purposefully show people that you are a Christian. Don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. Maybe you associate showing your faith to others a being self-righteous. It is important for us to realize that we should all be able to be identified as a disciple of Jesus. There is nothing proud or self-righteous about letting people know about your relationship with Jesus.
Will you be identified by others as a disciple of Jesus? If you would not be, then your faith needs to be examined.
Text: Colossians 4:5-6
I. By Your Love -- John 13:35
The love that we show for other people is a key way that we are identified as followers of Jesus. The question that stems from this is – what makes you different than other good people in this world? In the world there are many moral people, but what makes you different than them. Hopefully you will say that it is your faith in Jesus Christ, but will people be able to see this in your life? Will people know that you are different from the way you act towards other people? There are certain areas of life that we should show love and thus be identified as disciples.
a. For Your Brothers and Sisters in Christ
There is among Christians a special type of love that is unexplainable in words. The love and bond between Christians should be a testimony to the world of the love of God. People will know we are disciples of Jesus by the love that we show for our brothers and sisters in Christ. The church does not always do the best job portraying this love to the world. Sometimes the world sees Christians as bickering with each other and spiteful even. We should go out of our way to show love to our brothers and sisters in Christ. How do you treat those in the Church? Do you bicker and argue? We cannot over emphasize the importance of loving each other in Christ. John says, you cannot love God if you do not love your brothers in Christ. Jesus made it clear that before you come to church or worship you should make sure that you do not have a problem with your brother. Will people know that you are a Christian by the way that you treat your brothers in the faith? People should know that you are Christians by the love that you have for one another. Why would anyone want to be a Christian if you treat people in the church the same as people in the world treat people?
b. For Your Family
Ephesians 5:25-28
The Christian should also have a unique love for their family. I know that there are many non-Christians who dearly and deeply love their wives and children, but they cannot have a profound love unless they are Christians. A person cannot show true love unless they love in a Christian way. The Christian should have a certain identifiable love for their families. Again, this is almost unexplainable. Christians ought to love their family in a way that their family in a way that is unique to Christians. I know that many Christians do not have love for their family like the scriptures command us, but if people in the world see that our families are no different from theirs why would they want to be apart of the church. Christians should love their families, and people should always be able to see that you love your spouse and husband, in a way that is beyond emotion or feeling, but by actions the way Christ loved the church.
c. For non-Christians
We should also have love that is shown to those who are non-Christians because they too were made in the image of God. People should know that we love them. If we want to impact people and bring people to Jesus, they have to know that we love them. People do not care how much we know, until they know how much that we care. People should be drawn to Christ because we love them, and we show the love of God to people. People will be drawn to that because they want to experience that love.
The first way you will be identified as a disciple of Jesus is by the love that you have and show for other people.
II. By Your Obedience – John 8:31
Another way that you are identified as a disciple of Jesus is if you obey the commandments of Jesus. We live in a world where many people do claim to be Christians, but few people live the life that Jesus demanded. People will identify you as disciples of Jesus as you obey the commandments in the scriptures. The main reason why people do not want to come to church is because of hypocrites inside the church, and that is because they are not obeying the commands of God. The question that we need to answer ourselves is, how are we living? Are we living in such a way that people will know that we are Christians. In the world there are many good people, and moral people. Surely we are called to be good and moral, but our motivation is different and the way we do it is different. People should know that we are more than simply good people by the way that we act and live in obedience to scriptures.
Many of us today act as if the commandments of God are a burden to us, or they are too much. First, we do not obey the commandments of God simply because we have to, but we obey them because we love God, are thankful that he sent His son to die for our sins, and we want to live as obedient as we can.
Remember, Paul said where sin increases, grace increases all the more. Many of us want to take advantage of the grace of God, but we forget as the Romans forgot that we died to sin.
Think about this, when we disobey the commandments of God we are not only putting our salvation in danger, but we are putting those around us in danger as well. People watch and see what you do. It amazes me how closely people watch what we who claim to be Christians do. It seems like they wait for the first chance they have to find fault in us. Surely, none of us is perfect, we will all sin, and we should not let people think that we are perfect, because that is not true. We though, have a duty to live above reproach, to be a good example of someone who has been redeemed by Jesus Christ.
For many people in the early church, the though of doing the things that they once did was detestable to them. Many of us though are so casual and so flippant about what Jesus has done for us. We forget what Jesus saved us from and after a while we get tired of trying, we get tired of living a good life, and we give into the attacks of the Devil.
I Corinthians 6:9-11
We at one time were wicked, but now we have been redeemed and bought back by the blood of Jesus. We are an example of the grace of God. If we go around and do not live the way Jesus told us to live, what type of example are we going to be.
Our obedience to the scriptures will identify you as a disciple of Jesus. Would people be shocked if they found out you were a Christian? If they are it may be because you are not living in obedience to the scriptures, and the fruit of your spirit is not evident. Therefore let us be obedient to the scriptures so there is no doubt that we are Christian, and let us show love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
It matter how we live and what we do. We need to get it out of our minds that our actions only affect us, because that is not true, our actions affect the whole Kingdom of God and may prevent people from identifying us as disciples.
I wonder can those around you tell that you are a Christian simply by the way you live, if not they ought to be able to tell.
III. By Your Witness – Matthew 18:19
While it is important for us to be identified as disciples of Jesus by the way in which we act, we cannot omit the importance of our verbal witness for Jesus. Every disciple of Jesus was commanded by Jesus to tell the world about Him. This was not an option, it wasn’t a suggestion, it was a command from our King.
Many of us though have made this out to be an option. Many of us are too embarrassed to witness and speak up for Jesus. Perhaps some are afraid of rejection. Those people must realize it is not you they are rejecting it is Jesus. They must realize that we must be bold because it is a matter of Heaven and Hell. Perhaps some do not witness because they are afraid of being mocked or laughed at. Those people must realize, that we must tell people about Jesus no matter what they do or say.
So I want to ask you to look into your heart for a second, what is it that has prevented you from telling your friends and loved ones about Jesus?
We can make excuse day in and day out about our lack of reaching out, but remember Jesus said if you do not bear fruit, you will be cut off and thrown into the fire. I hope I do not have to interpret that one for you. Jesus made it clear that those who follow Him will be His witnesses into the world.
It should be an honor and a privilege to speak of Jesus to people.
Listen to this; it is not just the preacher’s job to evangelize. It is not just the elder’s job to evangelize, it is everybody’s job.
Remember Stephen? Why was he killed? He was killed because he was preaching about Jesus. Do you remember what Stephen’s role in the church was? He was a deacon, a servant, he was selected to clean and take care of the widow’s needs. He wasn’t supposed to preach, but he could not help but hold it in. Every believer preached the gospel, because they knew apart from Jesus a person was lost, and they knew it was their duty to tell people about Jesus. Why aren’t we doing that Church? I can say these things week after week, and still many people will go home to friends and family that are lost and headed for Hell and won’t even tell them how to avoid going there. I cannot help but to think that the blood is on our hands sometimes. We need to be bold, and less timid, and speak up for Jesus. People will know we are His disciples if we witness for Him.
I sense that another reason some people don’t tell people about Jesus is because they really don’t want the Church to grow. I know when it comes down to it everybody here would say they want the church to grow, but do you really? Perhaps you are comfortable knowing everyone very well. Perhaps you don’t want traffic in the parking lot; perhaps you just don’t like crowds. Maybe there are some like that here, but complacency is a sin, and it is a terrible sin not to want the body of Christ to grow. There are a lot of churches out there that would love to bring people in to them and would be tickled to have them. I would much rather have them here where they will hear the truth. Church we need to get over ourselves, and make every effort for the church to grow, not so we have more numbers, but so we have more souls in Heaven with us. There is no such thing as a Christian who is against the church growing. Let us though stop sitting around and talking about how nice it would be for the church to grow, and do our part.
This week, I want to encourage you to tell someone about Jesus. Bring a friend to church. I wonder how much more apt to doing that you would be if I offered a prize of $10,000 for the person that brought the most people to church. I bet we would have a packed sanctuary if we go paid to do evangelism. We don’t get paid, yet. We have rewards in Heaven which far outweigh the rewards here. What does it take for you to tell people about Jesus? What does it take for you to speak up and not be ashamed of Him? Let us do out part in reaching the lost, so that we might save some from the horrible punishment of Hell. I want people in Heaven with me, let’s reach the lost.
You will be identified as a disciple of Jesus by your witness and if you speak up for Him.
