Descriptions For The People of God: Disciple

I. What Does It Mean To Be A Disciple?

A. Disciples were first called Christians at Antioch– Acts 11:26

Acts 11:26 (NKJV)

And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

B. “A learner, pupil, disciple: univ., opp. to didaskolos.. . . one who follows one's teaching" (Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 386).

C. ”Learner, pupil, disciple" (Arndt and Gingrich, A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, p. 486).

D. "Lit., a learner (from manthano, to learn, from a root math, indicating thought accompanied by endeavor), in contrast to didaskolos, a teacher; hence it denotes one who follows one's teaching . . . all who manifest that they are His disciples by abiding in his word . . ." (W. E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. 1, p. 316).

E. "(1) ... The word is found in the Bible only in the Gospels and Acts. But it is good Greek, In use from Herodotus down, and always means the pupil of someone, in contrast to the master or teacher.... In all cases it implies that the person not only accepts the views of the teacher, but that he is also in practice an adherent.... (2) .... The disciple of Christ today may be described in the words of Farrar, as `one who believes His doctrines, rests upon His sacrifice, imbibes His spirit, and imitates His example' " (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. II, p. 851).

II. What Is Required of A Disciple?

A. Put The Lord First

- Before Family

~ Luke 14:26

Luke 14:26 (NKJV)

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

~ Matthew 10:37

Matthew 10:37 (NKJV)

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

~ Jesus isn’t teaching us to hate others

~ Our love for him must be greater than our love for anybody else.

-Before Self

~ Put the will of Christ in the place of self Gal. 2:20

Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

~ Make it your aim to please the Lord 2 Cor. 5:9

2 Corinthians 5:9 (NKJV)

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

B. Take Up His Cross

- Luke 9:23

Luke 9:23 (NKJV)

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

- What does it mean to take up the cross?​

~ Probably a reference to the fact that one who was crucified had to bear their own cross​

a. John 19:17 -“And He, bearing His cross..”​

John 19:17 (NKJV)

And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,

b. Simon was later compelled to carry the cross - Mark 15:21

Mark 15:21 (NKJV)

Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.

~ Bearing the cross suggests suffering and conflict - Matthew 10:34-38

Matthew 10:34–38 (NKJV)

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

- What does the cross represent?

~ The worst kind of suffering that man can imagine - Philippians 2:8​

Philippians 2:8 (NKJV)

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

~ There was shame associated with the cross - Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 12:2​

Galatians 3:13 (NKJV)

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

- How can one take up his cross when it is so difficult?

~ Remember that in taking up the cross we are emulating the example of Jesus

a. Hebrews 13:11-13​

Hebrews 13:11–13 (NKJV)

For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

b. 1 Peter 4:13

1 Peter 4:13 (NKJV)

but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

~ Keep your eyes of the prize​

- Hebrews 12:2 - “who for the joy that was set before Him"​

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

- Hebrews 12:13-14​

Hebrews 12:13–14 (NKJV)

and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

- Matthew 26:26-27​

Matthew 26:26–27 (NKJV)

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.

C. ​Follow Him

- Matthew 16:24

Matthew 16:24 (NKJV)

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

- We must follow Him to be part of his sheep - John 10:3-4; John 10:27​

John 10:3–4 (NKJV)

To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

John 10:27 (NKJV)

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

- We must follow Him to walk in the light of life instead of in darkness- John 8:12​

John 8:12 (NKJV)

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

- We follow Jesus when we follow His teaching - Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46​

Matthew 7:21–23 (NKJV)

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Luke 6:46 (NKJV)

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?

- We follow Jesus when we follow his example - Matthew 10:25​

Matthew 10:25 (NKJV)

It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!

~ Jesus set us an example to follow in suffering - 1 Peter 2:21-24​

1 Peter 2:21–24 (NKJV)

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

“Who committed no sin,

Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

~ We are to be imitators of Jesus

a. 1 Corinthians 11:1​

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NKJV)

Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

b. Ephesians 5:1​

Ephesians 5:1 (NKJV)

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

- Walk in Love - Ephesians 5:2​

Ephesians 5:2 (NKJV)

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

- Walk in Light - Ephesians 5:3-14​

Ephesians 5:3–14 (NKJV)

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says:

“Awake, you who sleep,

Arise from the dead,

And Christ will give you light.”

- Walk As Wise - Ephesians 5:15​

Ephesians 5:15 (NKJV)

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

- In Forgiveness - Ephesians 4:31-32​

Ephesians 4:31–32 (NKJV)

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.