Being A Disciple

Matthew 16:24 CSB

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

INTRO—

Have you ever been called “a disciple of _______”…?

Sound like (talk, voice)…Look like…Act like.

JESUS, talking to The Twelve (day-by-day), said…

John 8.31… “you really are my disciples”

John 13.35… “everyone will know that you are my disciples”

John 15.8… “and prove to be my disciples”

Let’s take a deeper look…

THE INTRODUCTION [Mark 1.16-20]

Like: “Hey there!” … but different.

Mark 1:16–20 “As he passed alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. “Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat putting their nets in order. Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.” [U=v. 17]

Follow me…

A picture of gracious expectation. [I have no idea if these are Jesus’ first words to Andrew & Peter, but that would certainly be interesting…]

FOLLOW ME.

THE CHALLENGE [Luke 14.25-35]

As you consider the introduction, you MUST accept (embrace?) the challenge (in order to step/continue forward).

Luke 14:25–27 “Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” [Interesting words—Jesus sees large crowds are following him, so he turns and says something to increase his following…or NOT.]

Luke 14:28–33 ““For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ “Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” [When we lived in Marietta, OK, we’d often take trips down to Denton, TX (like for race day NASCAR; or to a movie theater) and along the way we’d pass by a massive house…or, I should say shell of a house—because it’s never (as far as I know, still) been completed. Why? What happened? What could possibly be…possibly have been?]

Count the cost…

A picture of merciful caution. [Ready to ‘pay the price’—especially personally—for admitting to being a follower of Jesus Christ. When cultural winds blow against you. When cultural Christianity calls for compromise… ]

COUNT THE COST.

THE CALL [Matthew 16.24-28]

Actually following Jesus involves...

Matthew 16:24–28 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each according to what he has done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”” [The verbs ‘deny, take up, & follow’…are all IMPERATIVES.]

Deny…take up…follow…

Denying Ourselves:

A conclusive and complete denial (…doesn’t mean we must CREATE loss/pain for ourselves, but [according to Stuart Weber] “we need to be prepared to let go of anything that competes with his kingdom.”)

Taking Up Our Cross:

Accepting mockery and suffering for being a Christ-follower (much like a criminal required to ‘carry his cross’ through a mocking crowd to the site of his execution.)

Following Jesus:

Going after (pursuing) the Rabbi…our LORD (the call is deepened beyond leaving others/things behind to persevering through trials [challenges])

DENY…TAKE UP…FOLLOW.

CONCL—

When Jesus said “you really are…everyone will know…you prove to be” — his disciples, he also conveyed that this fact would show by:

John 8.31… “If you continue in my word”

John 13.35… “if you love one another”

John 15.8… “that you produce much fruit”

INVITATION:

Salvation (FOLLOW)

Assess (COUNT THE COST; re-)

Heed the Call (COMMIT; re-)

John 15:8 CSB

My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.