Discipleship: What is a Disciple?
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Discipleship: What a Disciple is?
Discipleship: What a Disciple is?
Announcements:
Prayer
As we mentioned last week, for the next 3 weeks, we’re going to step outside of our current Sermon Series...
due to the Holidays fast approaching...
and so this really sets us up nice to discuss something that we’re going to begin being more intentional about in the future…here at AFBC...
…starting today
I think I’ve said it a thousand times at this point - but as we all hopefully know by now...
we finished up the 2nd section of our sermon series last Sunday.
To recap quickly, we started the series asking 2 questions:
WHAT DO I BELIEVE?
WHAT DO I DO?
What do i believe AS A CHRISTIAN...
and then - What do i do…WITH THOSE beliefs…as a CHRISTIAN...
And 3 weeks from now - we’ll get back INTO this series and look at the last question:
WHAT DO I BELIEVE?
WHAT DO I DO?
WHO AM I BECOMING?
And so, when we put ALL of these things together...
…all of these questions together - they point at one thing - DISCIPLESHIP
How important is DISCIPLESHIP?
Without discipleship, we wouldn’t have:
the scriptures in the English language
Christianity more than likely would have NEVER made it out of Jerusalem let alone the Middle East and Europe
and we all wouldn’t even be here…today
Discipleship is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian...
And all that we’ve been talking about so far in this series is POINTING toward - Discipleship
Now - I think it’s important that we FIRST, establish for ourselves what a DISCIPLE is...
If we don’t understand what a Disciple is, then we’ll probably end up assuming we ARE ONE, when in fact we’re not.
SO - what is a DISCIPLE?
Today we’re going to see that the Bible pretty clearly lays out for us what a Disciple is...
So let’s start there...
The Bible makes it clear (not everyone believes this) - that a Disciple - REFERS to - a Christian.
There are some people out there who think that there are LEVELS of Christianity...
That you start out as a Believer....
And then - if you choose to go to the next level - you’ll begin to LEARN more and become a Disciple...
And THEN - if you’re really ALL IN - you’ll go to the next step and become - a Disciple Maker...
This idea - this thought - is FOREIGN to the Bible...
26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Everyone that was converted to Christ - was a disciple...
Everyone that was converted to Christ - was a Christian...
All Christians - are disciples...
Which means - when we start talking about DISCIPLESHIP and it’s implications...
....we’re actually talking about “THE LIFE of a CHRISTIAN”
The word Discipleship isn’t even IN THE BIBLE...
We place these labels on things and it can get confusing because we then think -
that Discipleship is a Separate THING - within Christianity
It’s not! - it IS Christianity!
Today we’re going to look at WHAT A DISCIPLE IS...
..and then in 2 weeks, following Christmas, we’ll get back into this...
…and we’ll talk about WHAT ‘DISCIPLESHIP’ looks like...
…in general
…AND what it will look like SPECIFICALLY for us here at AFBC...
So - let’s get started.
A Disciple Is…
A Disciple Is…
Now - to clarify…everyone on this planet is actually a worshiper...
We ALL worship something or someone
And so in this context - a Disciple (Christian) is a Worshiper of Jesus Christ. (and notice I didn’t say “God”)* (WHY? - mormon’s worship their god)
A Disciple is a - Worshiper…whose worship is founded on the worship of Jesus Christ
You remember what Jesus told the woman at the well?
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
A Disciple is a Worshiper of God - THRU Jesus Christ
And notice that the point made ISN’T - A Disciple is a person who BELIEVES in Jesus...
Now - Of course that’s true...
But THE REVERSE is NOT ALWAYS true...
Everyone that BELIEVES in Jesus isn’t necessarily a Christian.
Not everyone who BELIEVES that Jesus died on the cross FOR sins is a Christian!
Satan himself believes that Jesus died on the cross for sins...
There are millions of people who BELIEVE Jesus died on the cross for sins…that doesn’t make them a Christian...
The question is - DO THEY WORSHIP Christ FOR IT?
Do they LOVE Christ FOR dying for their sins...
See i can believe that Jesus DIED on the cross for sins - and yet HATE that it’s true!
That’s NOT a Christian!
A Disciple WORSHIPS Christ. This is EXCLUSIVE!!!
5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
And of course, Jesus is God Himself - in the flesh!
30 I and the Father are one.”
NOW - when we talk about WORSHIPING Jesus…that FILTER will FILTER out all the phonies...
See, when we talk about WORSHIPPING Jesus - this filter will reveal whether you’re a
SLIDE:
Fan or Follower
Fan or Follower
Think about the 12 apostles...
Take the 12 apostles, and place them in our CONTEXT here at AFBC...
So instead of physically living life with Jesus, they’re now attending AFBC
Question: How would Judas’ life play itself out in these walls here?
FAN or FOLLOWER?
The majority of church goers today are merely FANS of Jesus…not Followers
They like the idea of being a CHURCH-MEMBER
They like the idea of Jesus and what He stood for...
But ask them to pursue KILLING the sin in their life....and they think - why?
We saw earlier that God is after those who will worship in Spirit and Truth...
Well - if I’m going to worship in TRUTH...
then that implies I must PURSUE TRUTH!
And YET - SO many people are content with what they ALREADY know about Jesus.
Listen - If you are merely CONTENT with what you ALREADY know about Jesus....I would contend…chances are you’re NOT a Christian...
Because at that point you’re just RESTING in - your head knowledge!
You think because you BELIEVE a fact about Jesus that you’re a Christian...
However, there’s no PURSUIT to know Him more!
What does say?
45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—
You see that?
It doesn’t JUST SAY - “Everyone who has HEARD from the Father comes to me”
There’s more to this Christian life than just HEARING....
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
If we only HEAR the truth, and we don’t DO the truth....we don’t KNOW God...
We’re deceived!
That’s why says what it says
45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—
Everyone who has heard AND LEARNED from the Father comes to Me...
That’s why when we look at professing Christians, and we look at their lives....
And if we don’t see fruit…we find it hard to put the pieces together…to make sense of it
we try to make sense of the PROFESSION and the LIFE LIVED...
And so if you have a 25 year professing Christian who never attends Bible Study...
Never engages the church
Never uses their gifts to edify the church
Never invests in the church / the Body of Christ...
This is what they’re saying:
They’re saying...
“I love Jesus so much - I never come to Bible Study”
“I love Jesus so much - I never engage the church body”
“I love Jesus so much - I never use my gifts to edify the church”
“I love Jesus so much - I never invest in the church / the body of Christ”
And we see the obvious disconnect!
No - Jesus says - Those who HEAR and LEARN from the Father come to Me!
See, do you remember how Paul defines Worship in ?
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.
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
A life lived - PURSUING obedience to God is - WORSHIP
AND SO
A Disciple (Christian) is a Worshiper of Jesus Christ. - - whose worship is founded on the Worship of Jesus Christ!
what does that mean?
i don’t mean - the PRAISE of Jesus Christ...
I mean - the OBEDIENCE of Christ...
SLIDE:
The only way that a disciple’s worship can glorify God, is if that worship is founded on the obedience (worship) of Jesus Christ.
The ONLY way that a disciple’s worship (Christian’s worship) can glorify God, is if THAT worship is founded on the OBEDIENCE (worship) of Jesus Christ!
He was obedient UNTO death…even death on a cross...
And so we can see that a Disciple’s WORSHIP is a blood bought gift...
And so YES - a Disciple is a Worshiper - - who’s worship is founded on the Worship of Jesus Christ.
We just saw in these verses that a life LIVED - Pursuing OBEDIENCE - IS WORSHIP...
But what else?
A Disciple is not only a Worshiper of Christ…but...
A Disciple Is...
A Disciple Is...
…whose Servanthood is founded on the SERVANTHOOD of Jesus Christ!
If we go back to the book of John, in chapter 13 we find another portrait of a Disciple...
what it means to be a Disciple...
5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
It’s important to note here that the “He” in this verse is Jesus Christ.
Why is that important?
Because of what Jesus says next:
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”
John 13:
Is Peter confused?
Yes - why?
Because here we have Jesus Christ DISPLAYING servanthood.
WHAT was Peter hung up on??
Peter was hung up on the PHYSICAL nature of this situation...
Peter viewed Christ as His Master
Peter viewed himself as the servant...
And so if that’s TRUE, then SURELY Jesus was confused...
If anything, Peter should have been WASHING Jesus’ feet....PETER was the servant of Jesus...
A Master doesn’t PHYSICALLY wash the servant’s feet!
But what does Jesus do?
Jesus points out to Peter that PETER is the one confused.
Peter is the one who DOES NOT Understand...
Peter doesn’t see the SPIRITUAL side of this…
v7 - read again
v8
8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
John 13:
8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
“IF (I) do not wash you, you (Peter) have no share with me...”
Is Jesus talking PHYSICAL here?
What did John the Baptist say...
8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
John says - “I baptized with WATER, but He (Jesus) will baptize with something else…NOT WATER...
Jesus will baptize with the HOLY SPIRIT!
Ok, so how does this connect with being a DISCIPLE…?
Back to
8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
IF (I) do not wash you…you have NO share with Me...
If (I) do not wash you - physically?
NO - Spiritually
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
by the WASHING of salvation - THIS baptism MAKES disciples!!!
That’s why Jesus says in
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
The miracle of MAKING a DISCIPLE - takes a MIRACULOUS Baptism…a Spiritual Baptism...
The Baptism that ONLY Jesus HIMSELF can perform...
Jesus spoke these words having JUST CONQUERED the devil...
HAVING just gained VICTORY over death...
…His accomplishment of atonement now enabling believers to live victoriously over sin.
And He now assumes absolute dominion over all spiritual forces in heaven and on EARTH.
And it’s ON THE BASIS of THIS Authority, that Christ now commissions us to MAKE DISCIPLES...
…in the proclamation of His Word.
And so if we think that DISCIPLESHIP is somehow AN ADD-ON to the Christian Life...
we’re sadly mistaken.
Jesus Christ bought with His own blood, the ability for us to MAKE DISCIPLES - by speaking the Truths of Christ in the Gospel...
As we can see…(SLIDE)
The very essence of BEING a disciple is founded on the sacrificial SERVANTHOOD of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ bought with His own blood, the ability for us to MAKE DISCIPLES - by speaking the Truths of Christ in the Gospel...
And Jesus makes this clear in John 13...
John 13:
14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
And so Christ here in , is setting us up for a NEW COMMANDMENT...
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
John 13:
As Christians, we’re called to love one another…yes the world, but especially the household of God.
And it’s THIS VERY love that IDENTIFIES us as DISCIPLES of Jesus...
The world is watching, and when they see the kind of LOVE we’re SUPPOSED to have for one another…the world KNOWS that we belong to God.
the very next verse:
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
CLEARLY - servanthood is a distinguishing mark of a Christian (disciple)...
And so ask yourself -
Have I invested in SERVING my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ?
using the talents I have to serve the church?
known in the fellowship as one who SERVES the fellowship…?
This is what a DISCIPLE does - He serves / She serves.....BECAUSE...
…In our serving, we display Christ....Christ LIVES in us...
And so -
A Disciple is:
a worshiper of Jesus Christ
a servant
and lastly...
A Disciple Is...
A Disciple Is...
…Whose Witness is founded on the Witness of Jesus Christ...
We think of what a WITNESS is and what probably comes to mind first is - a WITNESS of a crime...
OR - regarding LeBron James - We are all WITNESSES...
Now, in this sense, the term is a PASSIVE one.
To witness a crime is to PASSIVELY watch a crime take place...
To WITNESS LeBron is to PASSIVELY watch him do his thing...
But a BIBLICAL Witness - a DISCIPLE is the kind of WITNESS that is not PASSIVE…but ACTIVE!
When we say that a Christian/Disciple is a WITNESS - we’re saying that a Disciple is - a PROCLAIMER!
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
It’s right to read this, and see in it…that Christians (disciples) are on a MISSION....
…commissioned by God Himself...
We have marching orders...
Jesus said in
21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
As the Father has sent Me - Jesus says - well why did Jesus come?
We’re about to celebrate the BIRTH of Christ next week - do we KNOW WHY He came in the first place?
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
If this is why He came - then He says - As I was sent, SO I SEND YOU...
a Disciple/Christian has a mission in life - to seek and to save the lost!
TO be a Disciple of Jesus is to point people to HIM...
NOW - Had Jesus not risen from the dead - would we be here right now?
NO!
I wouldn’t be here!
BUT - Christ did LIVE…(Caesar - existed?) (More evidence for Christ’s existence than Caesars)...
Christ did live - He did die…and He did RISE from the dead!
WHICH means - He purchased OUR Witness OF HIM!
And so we see that to Become a Disciple - it takes a MIRACLE of God....FOUNDED on the work of Christ!
And so FOR US - we have some questions to ask ourselves...
And to do that - we can see today that each of these characteristics of a Disciple are necessary...
SLIDE: (summary)
To not do
To not Worship Christ....is to fail at being a servant AND a witness
To not be a SERVANT of Christ....is to fail at Worshipping Christ and being a witness
To not be a Witness for Christ…is to fail at Worshipping Christ and being a servant...
THIS is what it means to be a Disciple of Jesus Christ...
Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ?
Have you surrendered your life to Christ....trusting in Him fully for your salvation…as your substitute…?
If so, then we’ve got work to do - we’re called to make disciples!
Let’s pray...