Discipleship in 2025

Walking the Path: The Call to Discipleship

Summary: Discipleship involves a commitment to follow Jesus and live according to His teachings, impacting every aspect of a believer's life.

Application: This message will encourage us to reflect on our personal commitment to follow Christ, considering the sacrifices and changes that true discipleship requires in their everyday lives.

Teaching: The sermon communicates that discipleship is not merely an intellectual agreement but an active, lived experience that shapes our identity and relationships in Christ as we grow and mature in our faith.

How this passage could point to Christ: Throughout the Scriptures, Christ is the model disciple-maker, inviting us into deeper relationship and promoting a community of believers who follow His example and teachings.

Big Idea: True discipleship requires commitment and transformation as we follow Christ's lead in every area of our lives, embracing the challenges and joys along the way.

1. Commencement: Leaving All Behind

Matthew 4:18-22

We will explore how Jesus' call to Simon Peter and Andrew represents the initial step towards discipleship: a decision to leave one's former life behind. This passage illustrates the immediate response required when Christ calls, bringing a transformative shift in priorities. We will emphasize how our first step in discipleship reflects a willingness to abandon personal ambitions for the sake of Christ’s purpose, what steps do we need to take to begin their journey or deepen their walk.

In the Bible, we often read about the Israelites leaving Egypt—this hugest exodus from a life of oppression to the Promised Land. Imagine if they had clung to their old lives, still searching for leeks and onions while missing out on the land flowing with milk and honey. Like them, we can be hesitant to leave our 'Egypts.' God is calling us, but first, we need to pack our bags and step out in faith!

How does the story of the Israelites leaving Egypt relate to our personal lives in terms of discipleship?

As we look at leaving our old lives behind, it’s often tempting to try and keep doing what is comfortable, even if it’s not necessarily good for us. Before we can be the most effective disciple for Jesus we first must decide that we are going to follow him completely. Notice I said the most effective, We don’t have to have it all figured out to tell people about Jesus, and better yet when we show people Jesus through the way that we live and treat them, often times that can be much more effective than a conversation. Romans 12:1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” We cant have one foot in the world and the other foot following Christ. One of the verses that immediately comes to mind is Matthew 6:24 ““No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” or Ephesians 4:17-19

Ephesians 4:17–19 ESV

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

Ephesians 4:23–24 “and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

The rest of the message will focus on scripture that focuses on leaving our old lives behind “putting down our nets, to follow Christ.”

Philippians 3:13–14 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

Romans 6:1–6 “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”

What does it mean to leave behind your former life in the context of discipleship?

Can you list some of the sacrifices that discipleship may require from you?

How do the verses from Romans and Ephesians emphasize the need for transformation in discipleship?

Picture this: a caterpillar convinced that climbing to the top of the tree branch is the best way to live. What it doesn’t know is that it’s destined for something much greater—a butterfly! Just like that caterpillar, we often struggle to leave our old lives behind and embrace our new identity in Christ. When we finally let go, we’ll discover the freedom and beauty that God has designed for us!

In Matthew 4, Jesus called His first disciples, telling them to leave their nets and follow Him. Imagine Peter and Andrew contemplating their decision. They could have held on to their old lives as fishermen, but instead, they chose to follow Jesus into the unknown. Their willingness to leave everything behind opened the door to incredible adventures. Just like them, we are invited to let go of our past and trust God’s plans for our new life in Him!

Finally the best way to put off our old lives and Follow Christ are by doing what he says! Lets look at what he tells us to do by going to Matthew 5 17-48.

2. Commitment: Bearing Your Cross

Luke 9:23-25

We will delve into the theme of self-denial and taking up one's cross daily as a cornerstone of discipleship. This passage challenges believers to embrace sacrifice as an intrinsic part of following Jesus. We will highlight how this contrasts with modern notions of comfort and self-fulfillment, urging the audience to examine what personal crosses they are called to bear and how they can offer their daily struggles up to God as acts of faithfulness.

3. Connection: Abiding in Christ

John 15:5-8

We will illustrate how abiding in Christ is essential for fruitful discipleship. This passage emphasizes the dependence on Jesus for spiritual growth and effectiveness.We should stay connected to Jesus through spiritual disciplines like prayer, reading Scripture, and fellowship. sustaining a vibrant relationship with Christ empowers believers to lead lives that bear witness to God’s love and grace.

4. Commission: Making Disciples Everywhere

Matthew 28:18-20

We will highlight the mission aspect of discipleship in the Great Commission, where Jesus calls His followers to make disciples of all nations. This mandates a proactive, outward-focused faith that seeks to share the transformative love of Christ with others. We will evaluate how we are participating in this mission within their own communities and the world, exploring ways to live out their faith with purpose and influence.