Requirements For True Disciples

REQUIREMENTS FOR TRUE DISCIPLES

Luke 9:57-61

Introduction, attention, Interest, Personal- Nearly thirty years ago, I was a middle school teacher in Kenya .One day I took 20 students, and I told them: “I will do my best to teach you and train you. If you obey me, you will be the best students of this school. “They were excited. In a short time I realized that only some of them were willing to keep up with my training. Some of them said, “it’s too difficult”. Some said, “We have more important things to do”. Some of them said, “You see other students are having more fun than we do.” When they graduated, 2 of them were the best students of the school. Only 2 out of 20.

Analogy, Parallelism- Jesus was the most extraordinary teacher that ever lived. Jesus himself had some disciples of the same sort as mine. Some said, “This is a difficult teaching”, and they left. He had one disciple that considered money more important than anything. Only a few of them were willing to stay with Jesus until the end. You know why? Because discipleship is difficult, discipleship requires discipline.

Need Element, Challenge-We don’t like discipline, we want to be free to do whatever we want, to live our lives just as we want. But Christian discipleship requires discipline. I know you are disciples of the Lord, but let me challenge you today to check out your discipleship; be the best disciples you can be.

Historical Context- Jesus was traveling toward Jerusalem followed by crowds of people. He needed disciples to go in villages and cities to preach the message of the Kingdom, the fact that the Messiah had come.

Textual Idea, (Discipleship/ True)- As Jesus called them out, he shared with them the requirements for a true discipleship.

Sermon idea, (Discipleship, True) As Jesus calls disciples today, the Word of God presents the same requirements for a true discipleship.

Interrogative- What are the requirements of a true discipleship?

Transition- There are three basic requirements for the Christian disciple, as we discover them in our text today: True discipleship requires.

Main divisions stated here-

1. Mature determination

2. Prompt submission;

3. Complete devotion

Text Reading – (Luke 9:57-61)

Body division # 1- True discipleship requires a mature determination (v.57-58).

Explanation, Cross reference, Word Study- Matthew 8:19 tells us that he was a scribe, that is an intellectual, a theologian, a teacher. He offers himself to follow Jesus, the carpenter- Rabbi from Nazareth! He says, “I will follow you wherever-this is literally anywhere-you go.”

Principle- Now, Jesus makes a very interesting statement: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” What is he talking about? Jesus is simply saying,: “Discipleship is more difficult than you think. If you really want to be my disciple, count the cost.”

Illustration, Analogy, Personal- There are people who imagine that the Christian life is fun, a long life amusement, but it is not. It is a long-life commitment, through many trials, difficult situations, dangers, persecutions, suffering, and even death if necessary. You see the birds in the sky. They are free to fly, to sing, to eat or sleep. Many years ago, one evangelical Church in Kenya was not allowed to sing! There were Christians who were put in prisons because of their commitment to sing for the Master Jesus . What Jesus is saying is, “if you really want to follow me, recount the cost.”

Argumentation, Cross Reference- Discipleship requires a mature determination, such as firmness and boldness that “neither tribulation, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor detention, not even death” are able to separate you from your master (Romans 8:35-39).

Application, Descriptive- Are you ready, for the sake of Jesus, to leave everything behind, any position, any provision, and possession, any pretension, and to follow him anywhere, with mature determination? Are you totally determined to follow him literally anywhere? I know we desire the pastors in large churches, in important cities, to have our staff, our office, a good car, and a good salary. Are you determined to leave all this and to follow Jesus wherever he leads you? That is what true discipleship really means.

Transition- This is the first requirement of Christian discipleship, second.

Division # 2- True discipleship requires prompt submission (v.59-60).

Explanation, Context-The second man had an extraordinary chance: Jesus takes the initiative and offers him an invitation, “Follow me”, but this man replies “Let me first go and bury my father! “ I don’t know if his father was dead or not. Probably he was asking for permission to go and stay with his father until he died. The text doesn’t say exactly what he meant. What I know is that he failed to submit to the lord right then. He put himself first, and he put his personal and family affairs before his calling.