The DNA Of A Disciple

The Word For The Year Is Desperation

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Introduction

Today we are launching into a new sermon series to start the year called The DNA Of A Disciple. This is going to an eight week series and the question I want to look at is this, what does the DNA of a disciple look like?

Or to put it another way, what are the spiritual traits of those who are seeking to be apprentices of Jesus. Are there any commonalities? That’s what we are going to tackle in this series.

I love church history. I love to read the stories of the missionaries or preachers or just regular people that God uses to bring about his kingdom on earth. It’s an amazing tapestry to read and so in the past few years I was re-reading the history of Elim and something jumped off the page at me.

In the second book that was written called “Living in the Flow”, she was identifying 8 things that in the history of people at Elim and they found that in their wanting to live like Jesus, there were 8 common threads. I’m going to use those ideas to help form this series.

So the first one is this…

A Disciple Exhibits Faith That Is Expressed Through Sacrifice & Self-Denial

But let’s not take their word for it, let’s look at what the Bible says about faith.

Main Text

Hebrews 11:1–6 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

This is the quintessential passage on faith. In this passage, the author of Hebrews is encouraging us, he wants us to trust in the Faith that God has given us and to walk according to that Faith remembering those that have went before us.

Let’s define faith. Verse 1 says faith is the assurance (meaning it’s what we stand on, it’s a firm foundation) of things hoped for, the conviction (or the proof) of things not seen. In other words, you can’t have faith in something you already have, it must be an assurance of something that is hoped for.

So what is hoped for? What is the author asking us to put our hope in? Well he tells us in chapter 10, he wants us to put our hope in the finished work of Christ on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. But that’s not all. He wants our hope simply in Christ, not just for the forgiveness of our sins, but for all of life. This is why he ends the chapter by talking about having hope in spite of suffering and persecution. He speaks to our need for endurance. Holding on to this confession of hope in spite of what our current lives look like.

Now this is a big difference compared to those faith preachers who would tell you to put your faith into what God can do for you. In fact, he says hey, do you remember when you got thrown in prison for your faith and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property since you knew you had a better possession? Therefore don’t throw away your confidence! Can you image being joyful that someone plundered your property?

Faith, at least from what I can tell in the author of Hebrews eyes, is not about what we can get from God, though he does mention a great reward, it’s about us trusting God no matter what we get. The great reward we are looking forward to isn’t in this life, it’s in the life to come.

Faith Has An Object. This is incredibly important, faith must have an object. It must be focused in on something. And the object matters. You could put your faith the wrong thing and it would be terrible.

For instance, if I put my faith in the Carolina Panthers winning a Super Bowl this year, I’m likely going to be pretty disappointed. Or if my wife put her faith in me looking as good as George Clooney when I’m 64, it’s probably a misplaced faith.

Our Faith’s Object Must Be Jesus - There is nothing else in this world that is as reliable as Jesus. There is nothing else in this world that won’t let you down. Even when we are faithless, he is faithful.

What Does Faith Look Like?

What does faith look like? As in, how would we know that we have faith? Faith in and of its nature is unseen, so where can we find evidences of faith?

This is what the Author of Hebrews is helping us answer by giving us so many different examples of faith. He lists Abel, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and so on. At the end of it all in verse 33, he says, I don’t have enough time to tell you of all of the people that through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, escaped death, put armies to flight, suffered, mocked, flogged and imprisoned by faith.

Faith Leaves A Trail - There’s evidence if you have faith. James would put it this way. James 2:17

James 2:17 ESV

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

In other words, our faith produces something. There’s a trail of works that our faith leaves behind. And to put it bluntly, if you don’t have a trail behind you of evidence, you have a dead faith, that is useless.

By Faith We Receive Our Commendation - Your translation may say a good report. This might make you feel good, but let me share with you what that Greek Word is for commendation - it’s the same word that might be translated as testimony or witness, its a variation of the Greek word martyr. By Faith we can receive a good testimony or be a good witness.

This again tells us Faith is not truly a means to “get something”, it’s a means by which we live and die. In fact at the end of this chapter it says no one on this list actually received what was promised.

Hebrews 11:39–40 ESV

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Faith is not a means to an end, it is the end in itself. These three remain, Faith, Hope and Love. It’s there at the end.

So what does Faith look like? Or, what does the evidence of faith look like? It tells us in our passage when talking about Abel, it says…

Abel Expressed His Faith Through Sacrifice

Just after the Fall we get the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. Now the story on the surface may seem a little odd. We have two brothers who both decide to offer something to God. Abel offers the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions, a sacrifice. Cain offers the fruit of the ground.

In this passage we see that God was pleased with Abel’s sacrifice, but that he turns his face from Cain’s.

In Hebrews we learn that Abel’s sacrifice was an act of faith. How so?

Put yourself in his shoes. If you have a flock of sheep and you give to God the firstborn of that flock, you are saying quite literally, Lord I am depending on you to keep blessing my sheep with more children. He’s not giving God his old sheep or the lame ones, he’s giving Him his future.

Abel’s offering is also symbolic of Christ’s offering. A sacrifice that foreshadows what Christ does for us. In other words, he offers to God what God truly desires which is Christ’s perfect offering.

We also see here that Cain and Abel both offered sacrifices, Hebrews just tells us that Abel’s was “more acceptable” than Cain’s. Like I said earlier, if you try and do something for God out of the wrong motive, it’s not pleasing to Him. We see that with Cain. What’s the difference between the two?

Abel Gave With Faith - The big difference I see in the text is that Abel made his sacrifice by Faith. He didn’t do it just because. He didn’t do it out of obligation. He did it because HE WANTED TO and trusted God with everything he gave Him.

I’m convinced we don’t understand what sacrifices are.

“Our notion of sacrifice is the wringing out of us something we don’t want to give up, full of pain and agony and distress. The Bible’s idea of sacrifice is that I give as a love-gift the very best thing I have.” - Oswald Chambers

Sacrifices Are Giving God Our Best - You can’t really sacrifice something you don’t really want. When my wife gives me the crummiest, most sorry looking chicken tender in the Bojangles box, that’s not love. When she gives me the plumpest, juiciest chicken tender in the box, I know she really loves me.

God is asking us to give him our best. He’s not looking for the crumbs in the bottom of the box, he’s looking for the good stuff. And when we give him the good stuff, he is faithful to make sure we are taken care of.

He doesn’t want our leftovers. We have started a new year. What is God asking you to give to Him? Is He asking you to give more than last year? Is he looking for you to bless not only your church but your neighbor in some way? Will you give your first and best to Him or just keep giving him your leftovers?

Sacrifices Are Giving God Our Best - You can’t really sacrifice something you don’t really want. Hebrews echoes this language in verse 6 when he says, that without faith, you can’t please God, for whoever would draw near to Him must believe that he exists and rewards those that seek Him.

Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice. One of the ways a Christian draws near to God is through faith in Christ and his sacrifice for our sins. We put our faith in that sacrifice and that allows us to draw closer to Him.

Faith Is Expressed Through Denying Ourselves

First I want to say these are not the ONLY expressions of faith. These are two and I have found in my life these two speak the most. Perhaps when you read this chapter on your own, you see expressions of faith that more resonate with your past.

Abel Denies Himself By Sacrificing His Future - Abel gave the first fruits of his flock and as such, he was denying himself. He could have kept it for himself. In fact, in Genesis 4, God isn’t even asking for an offering. Both of these brothers decide on their own to make an offering to God.

Abel could have kept his offering. He could have said, this is mine, this is my future and I’m not going to give it up. But he didn’t. He offered a sacrifice to God that showed that he trusted God completely with his future. It was done in faith.

Abel isn’t the only one. Look at Moses in verse 25, he chooses to deny himself and be mistreated with God’s people rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

In the DNA of a disciple, is the idea that God is asking us to deny ourselves and to put Him first and others a close second.

True Faith Pleases God

Faith Produces Good Deeds That Please God - You can certainly do things for the wrong reasons. For instance, if you think by sacrificing something important to you that will help you gain favor with the Lord, you are doing it for the wrong reasons. If you think you have to earn God’s love, you are wrong. If you think you need to “clean yourself up” before you can come to him, you are mistaken.

Faith produces good works in us. When we put our faith in Christ we will do works that are pleasing to God. If we try to reverse that and do works to please God without faith or to gain faith, we are out of order.

What Works Please God? Now one of the things that blew my mind in this was that I could actually do something that might be pleasing to God. So what works please Him? Well thankfully the Author of Hebrews tells us just a little later…

Hebrews 13:16 ESV

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Doing Good Pleases God - Both of these ideas are others-centered. When we do good to others, it pleases God. When we feed the hungry, help the poor, visit with the widows and orphans, remember those who are in prison, when we love our neighbors, it pleases God.

Sharing What You Have Pleases God - When we are generous it pleases God. Because we have freely received from the Lord, we should freely give. Generosity is a heart language for God. He gives generously, so when we do as he does, it pleases him.

Other ways to please God:

When we take care of those in our family (1 Tim 5:4)

The way we speak (1 Thess 2:4) - We can speak in a way that pleases man or in a way that pleases God.

When children obey their parents (Col 3:20)

When we walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (Col 1:10)

When we financially care for missionaries (Phil 4:18)

We are to please Him with our bodies on this earth (2 Cor. 5:9)

When we avoid idolatry and sexual immorality (1 Cor 10)

When we share the salvation message (1 Cor 1:21)

When we live by the Spirit and not by the flesh (Rom 8:8)

We are also told to try and discern what is pleasing to the Lord (Eph 5:10). This tells me that Scripture doesn’t even tell me all the ways in which I can please Him and that I need to look for ways in which I can please Him.

It Must Be Done By Faith - All of these actions must come from heart that desires to please Him because we love Him, not as a responsibility or a checklist, but from a heart of gratitude knowing that none of this puts us in his good favor. In the DNA of a disciple is this type of heart.

God Rewards Those That Seek Him - The ending of verse 6 gives us even more hope. It calls back to the idea that if we seek God, we will find Him. He is our ultimate reward. He may not be the only reward, the Bible talks about crowns, homes and other things in heaven, but he is most certainly the greatest reward a disciple will ever receive.

A Disciple Exhibits Faith That Is Expressed Through Sacrifice & Self-Denial

Decision

Perhaps you are here and you don’t know Jesus. Today is the day, you need to deny yourself and put your faith in his ultimate sacrifice. Don’t leave without doing that.

Perhaps you are here and rather than living a life of self-denial, you’ve been indulging in the things of this world. I pray that God will stir your heart today to return to Him.

Perhaps you are here and you need prayer. We are going to sing and I’m going to invite you to come.

Questions to consider: 1. What specific areas of self-denial might God be calling you to focus on as you pursue a deeper faith? 2. What does it mean to you to trust God with your future, as exemplified by Abel’s sacrifice? 3. How can you show gratitude to God for His sacrifices, and how does that influence your decisions? 4. How can we cultivate a heart that seeks to please God in the actions and decisions we make?