Christian or Disciple? (2)

How many times do you think the word “christian” appears in the Bible? Would you be surprised if I told you a whopping 3 times? How many times do you think that the word “disciple” appears in the bible? Over 300 times in the gospels and acts. It is by far the preferred term for some one who follows after Christ.

Now to be certain I am not suggesting that the term Christian is not biblical or that we shouldn't use it, but rather that it is a title that has become hijacked and obscure at least in our culture today. I meet people all of the time who call themselves Christians and can’t even give me a basic definition of what a christian is. If I asked several of you in the audience what is a christian would you be able to define it?

You see unfortunately Christianity has been reduced to a formula just say this prayer, ask Jesus into your heart, get your ticket punched and you are good to go, and we say to Jesus see you at the pearly gates, or maybe if you get into a pinch with something, like that test that you didn’t study for you might send up a quick prayer. Christianity to a lot of people in our culture has absolutely zero meaning even less commitment to Christ.

We cheapen the Gospel if we think that we can come to faith in Christ with out any commitment to being a disciple. Now to be certain our salvation is not in anyway, shape or form dependent upon our works or our merit. It comes entirely through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. BUT that does not mean that Jesus does not demand anything from those who truly seek to follow Him.

Have you ever heard of the phrase eat my dust. You know maybe driving your truck and doing a burn out or blowing past some one in a cloud of dust. But did you know that in biblical days eating dust was considered an honor. You see the climate was how and airid, and full of dessert and dust. When you would walk you would kick up dust with your feet. To be a disciple meant that you would follow your master around and learn and memorize his every word as you traveled from place to place. There was a saying among the Rabbis. “May you ever be covered in the dust of your master”. It was considered a badge of honor.

Jesus allowed many who initially followed Him to turn away.

John 6:60–68 ESV

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,

In Luke 9:59-62

Luke 9:59–62 ESV

To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 18 Jesus turned away a rich ruler who came to Him asking about eternal life.

Counting the cost

Do you know why being a Christian isn't working for you? Perhaps you have believed the lie that you can have Jesus and live your life however you want. Perhaps instead of you conforming your life to Jesus you expect Jesus to conform his life to you to you. Maybe you turn Jesus into a good luck charm like a rabbits foot, you can keep him in your pocket, you can pull him out whenever you need a leg up with something, and then back in your pocket. But that a Jesus that’s ok with how you are living, that a Jesus that serves you but never asks for anything in return. That is a false Jesus an idol that cannot save you.

J.C Ryle living in such time as ours in the spiritual darkness of England, in a time when the recovery of the true Gospel was needed much like today he said these words,

“Very likely your religion costs you nothing. Very probably it neither costs you trouble, nor time,nor thought, nor care, nor pains, nor reading, nor praying, nor self-denial, nor conflict, nor working, not labor of any kind. Such a religion as this will never save your soul. A religion which costs nothing is worth nothing.

“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession...Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”

this seems like a far cry for someone who wants to gain followers. Jesus was not as concerned with the masses, and more concerned with a handful of followers, specifically 12 but certainly including more. I am sure that people do all sorts of things and there are all sorts of rules and to follow to get the most likes and the most subscribers on your social media platform, but “# the place to come and die” does not seem like a good strategy for growing your fan base.

Forsaking all else

Notice that they have come to Jesus. People come to Jesus for many different reasons, but their view of who He is an their expectations of this relationship is far different than who Jesus actually is and what he demands from us. Our love for Christ must make all other relationship whether people or things pale in comparison. They must seem like hatred in comparison of our love and commitment to Christ. This is what radical commitment to Christ means. If there is anything that is more important to you than Jesus then you can’t be a disciple.

Jesus I will follow you wherever you except there. You can have every area of my life except that corner, you cant go there.

Where is Jesus when you are surfing the internet and no one else is looking, where is Jesus in your relationship with your boyfriend or girlfriend, where is Jesus … Will you follow Him to school, will you follow Him to work, will you follow Him home, or to that Friday night party, or to your game Have you reduced Jesus to a that relic you keep in your pocket, or has he actually changed you. How is your life different right now because of Christ? And if its not perhaps you too are like to rest of the people out there, a cultural christian without commitment issues.

If you don’t follow Him here, you cant follow Him there.

Matthew 7:22–23 ESV

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Isn’t it time we count the cost?