KBM Why Be A Disciple Of Christ
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Today, we are going to be readying something, that if you have been with me for a while on this biblical journey know, from Luke 14 on being a disciple of Christ. This subject of what it takes to be an actual disciple has been long ignored at worse dismissed as unnecessary. In the ESV we find the English word disciple 268 times and in the NKJV we find it 274 times in the New Testament alone. Before we dive into our text let’s first ask the question “What is a disciple” so we have a better understanding of why we should be a disciple of Christ. The Greek word for disciple literally means “a learner” and holds the idea of “one who learns and follows another’s teachings.” So naturally, it makes since that we should be people that learn from Jesus’ teaching and follow them. No wonder Jesus would say in John 14:15…
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
If showing our love to Jesus is being his disciple, one who learns from his word and follows his teachings why would anyone need to “count the cost of doing such?” Let’s read Luke 14:25-33.
Luke 14:25–33 (NKJV)
25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “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. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
The reality is to be a disciple of Christ means to suffer for Christ’s sake. To be willing to give up family, friends, jobs, hobbies, etc… for Christ if any of those would keep us from being 100 percent committed to him. You cannot “forsake or renounce all that you have to be his disciple” without committing 100 percent to him. This is why Jesus declared in Luke 10:27…
27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
This is why before someone commits to Jesus, he wants us to count the cost. Living a godly and righteous life guarantees persecution at various levels from those not pursuing true discipleship to Christ. So, what about being a disciple of Christ makes it worth all the suffering?
First, because being a disciple of Christ will bring you integrity. Part of being a disciple is putting away the lies and focusing on the truth.
25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Secondly, being a disciple of Christ means we have greater control of our emotions. A great illustration of this is in Romans 12:9 and Ephesians 4:26…
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
As you can see here we are to “abhor or hate” evil and also be angry but not sin. Being a disciple of Christ helps us better understand how to use the emotions that often plague our relationship with others for good and not evil.
Lastly, being a disciple of Christ is great because discipleship checks our behavior. When we filter every aspect of our lives through God’s word (Colossians 3:17) how can we not behave in a much better way. For example in Ephesians 4:28 we read…
28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
When we actually become a true disciple of Christ if we stole things we will stop, if we lied to others we will start telling the truth, if we lusted or coveted after others, we will control that, if we cheated we will stop. Why, because being a disciple is not just learning God’s word his teachings but following them. And when we make that commitment to be a disciple of Christ and have fought that good fight of faith Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4.8…
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.