Then Are You My Disciples

Not all who say “Lord, Lord...”

Fairly early in His ministry, Jesus taught that not all who claimed to be His disciples really were. In the few short years of the Lord’s ministry, many disciples would follow Him for awhile, only to forsake Him when difficulty arose or His teachings became too hard. Such fickle service was not limited to the lifetime of Jesus. As Jesus foretells in the Sermon on the Mount, there will be those who claim that Jesus is their Lord, when in truth He is not.

Matthew 7:21–23 ESV

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 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.’

In other words, there will always be those that claim to be disciples and followers of Jesus, when actually they are not. These people are not simply liars though - they believe they are followers of Jesus. They even do certain things that they feel serve Jesus. And yet, in the end Jesus will say, “Depart.” What a terrifying thought! How awful it would be to live a life thinking we are Christ’s disciple, only to find out on the Judgment Day that the Lord does not recognize us as one of His own. So how can we make sure this isn’t our fate? Can we know that we really are the Lord’s disciples, and thus rest assured that we are known by Him? Yes!

Obviously, the whole of the New Testament teaches us about the Lord and how to follow Him. But further, there are some specific things Jesus Himself mentions as signs that we either are or are not His disciples. It would behoove us to review these characteristics, and ensure we really are the Lord’s disciples.

The Cost of Discipleship

In Luke 14, Jesus mentions 3 things that keep us from being a true disciple. In just a few short verses, Jesus reminds us of the true cost of discipleship. There are great blessings in Christ, but there are also costs. We should count the cost carefully, and understand what is expected of the Lord’s disciples.

Luke 14:26–33 ESV

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Jesus Before Family (Luke 14:26)

Luke 14:26 ESV

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

Jesus uses strong language to emphasize where our priorities must lie. He is not teaching that we should literally hate our relatives. This would contradict Jesus’ own teaching to love one another. Jesus Himself rebuked the Pharisees for not fulfilling the command to honor their father and mother (Mt. 7:11). Jesus wants to make clear however where our allegiance must lie.

As a disciple of the Lord, we follow Jesus above all others, including those who are the closest to us. Family is a wonderful blessing, but family can also be a dangerous temptation.

Family can lead us astray: Few people can pressure us or influence us like our parents, our siblings, and our children. We are far more likely to follow a beloved relative into sin, digression, and error than we are anyone else.

Family can distract us: As husbands, wives, parents, and children, we have responsibilities to our family. These are good and God-ordained, but sometimes we can allow family to occupy the number one spot in our life, instead of the Lord. When caring for the needs of a spouse, parent, or child comes before serving the Lord, we are not true disciples. When family time, family recreation, and family events take precedence over the worship of the church or the work of the Lord, we are not truly disciples.

Family can hurt us: Few things hurt as badly as being rejected by those we love the most. Yet that is exactly what has happened for many Christians. From the first century until now, there have always been people who have been rejected by their families after obeying the gospel. Such a situation is tragic and causes immense pain and sorrow - and some have succumbed to the pressure and ultimately chosen to reject the Lord to find favor with their family. Being cast-out by family is no light thing, but as we will see in a moment, those that wish to be the Lord’s disciples must be ready for persecution, even from those whom they hold dear.

Jesus’ point is that if we wish to follow Him, we must be prepared to put Him first, even if that means choosing Him over our family. Jesus is possibly echoing the example of the Levites. Remember after the golden calf incident, the Levites stood with Moses against the idolators, and they carried out God’s judgment, killing 3,000 of the guilty with the sword, whether they were family, or neighbors, or companions. They chose the Lord over their relationships. Later, Moses blessed the Levites:

Deuteronomy 33:8–11 ESV

And of Levi he said, “Give to Levi your Thummim, and your Urim to your godly one, whom you tested at Massah, with whom you quarreled at the waters of Meribah; who said of his father and mother, ‘I regard them not’; he disowned his brothers and ignored his children. For they observed your word and kept your covenant. They shall teach Jacob your rules and Israel your law; they shall put incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar. Bless, O Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; crush the loins of his adversaries, of those who hate him, that they rise not again.”

We will not have to make a choice like the Levites, but we may have to choose the Lord over our family. Hopefully that isn’t the case. Hopefully our family members are also Christians. Or hopefully we can influence them to join us in following Christ. But if not, we must be prepared to always follow Jesus, even when it costs us those who are closest to us. Otherwise, we cannot truly be the Lord’s Disciples.

Jesus Before Self (Luke 14:27)

At the end of verse 26, Jesus adds we must “hate” our own life also in addition to our loved ones. Again, Jesus is not teaching that we hate ourselves - He is saying that we must be ready to put Him before all things, including our own self-interest and even self-preservation. Jesus expounds upon that in verse 27.

Luke 14:27 ESV

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

How blessed we are that Jesus died for our sins. How thankful we are that He bore His cross, and was willing to die upon it, for in that sacrifice He offered us redemption and life eternal! We love to think of the Lord’s loving sacrifice. We thank God in prayer for it; we sing songs about it; we preach sermons about it, and rightfully so. While we all love to remember what was accomplished at the cross, we don’t like to think of our own cross. When it comes to bearing a cross of our own, we often begin to doubt and shirk away from true discipleship.

When we think of Jesus taking our place at the cross, what we often really want is for Jesus to take away all the crosses of our life. We want to be freed not only from eternal damnation, but from all pain and suffering. But that’s not what Jesus did, and it’s not what He expects. Yes, Jesus died in our place on the cross, and yes Jesus offered us pardon, redemption, and forgiveness. We need to always remember what He delivered us from - eternal death! But in return, Jesus does expect us to be willing to bear our own crosses. Will they be as heavy as His? Not at all. But will they exist? Yes they will. And we must be willing to bear them. Essentially, Jesus is teaching that as we make Him first in our lives, we must be ready to make sacrifices in order to follow Him. Sacrifices come in many ways:

Time and Service: When we are the Lord’s disciples, the focus of our life is on Him and His kingdom. That means the way we use and spend our time should be different than it was before we followed Him. Our time is not dedicated to ourselves and our pleasures. Our time is not to be focused entirely on secular work, or relaxation, or hobbies. All these things can be done and enjoyed, but not to such a degree that we shirk our responsibilities to the Lord. Yes, there are times we need to give up the opportunity to make money or enjoy some relaxation in order to attend the worship services. Yes, we should give part of our day to reading God’s Word and praying to the father. Yes, we should give our time in order to serve and help others. Is that a sacrifice? Sure it is. But how heavy is that cross compared to Jesus leaving Heaven in order to live as a man and die on the cross? Surely we can bear the cross of sacrificed time.

Financial Sacrifice: Following the Lord will require a sacrifice of our treasure. In every dispensation of time, God has expected His children to recognize the blessings they receive from God, and give back a portion of their wealth to Him. In the New Testament, we are not given a set amount to give, but we are exhorted to give cheerfully rather than reluctantly (2 Cor. 6:7), and in proportion with how we have prospered (1 Cor. 16:2). Do we do that? Do we give cheerfully? Do we truly give as we have been prospered? Do we give sacrificially? Yes, giving up our hard-earned dollars might be a sacrifice, but isn’t it worth it? Isn’t it an awesome thing to be able to give back tot he Lord? To be able to help the kingdom spread? To be able to help other needy saints? And in light of what the Lord has done and offered, isn’t the cross of financial sacrifice a fairly light load? Compared to the cross that Jesus bore - the cross in which He redeemed us not with silver and gold, but with His own precious blood? Surely we can bear the cross of financial sacrifice.

Persecution: In various forms, we will all face persecution, and this can be a difficult sacrifice. No one enjoys being the out-cast. No one wants to be ridiculed and mocked. No one wants to lose their job. Certainly no one wants to be fined, imprisoned, beaten, or even killed. And yet, Christians throughout time have had to bear all these crosses. Are we willing to bear such burdens? Are we willing to spend and be spent for the Lord? Are we ready to suffer, and even do so joyfully as the apostles did, because we want to honor our Master who died for our sins? Paul says that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). Do we really desire to live godly in Christ Jesus? Are we ready to make such a sacrifice? Paul was able to. In fact, Paul simply viewed his suffering as a way to share in the suffering of the Lord. He remembered Jesus bore the cross to Calvary, and was thus ready to bear his own cross whenever and wherever required. As we remember the Lord’s sacrifice, surely we can bear the cross of persecution.

Jesus Before All (Luke 14:33)

Jesus sums up the cost of discipleship in this section with a final reminder of our true priorities.

Luke 14:33 ESV

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Once more, Jesus uses strong language to depict how far we must be willing to go if we are truly His disciples. It's easy to follow Jesus when it doesn’t seem like much is required of us. But how much are we really willing to give up to follow the Lord? If really put to the test, would we be willing to let go of anything or sacrifice everything? Or would we end up like the rich young ruler, turning away from Jesus because we value things more than the Lord? Is there anything in your life that you are unwilling to renounce for the Lord?

Whether it be vices, things, relationships, fame, or anything else, if it comes between us and serving the Lord it must be renounced. Nothing is worth losing our soul. More, nothing we can have or gain can possibly compare with the blessings found in and only in Christ. We must learn to have the attitude of Paul:

Philippians 3:7–8 ESV

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

"Then Are You My Disciples”

Jesus doesn’t just explain the cost of discipleship. He also teaches what discipleship looks like. Again, much Jesus’ teaching (and the whole of the New Testament) address this is a general way, but Jesus also teaches some specifics.

“If You Abide in My Word” (John 8:31)

John 8:31 ESV

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

The word ‘abide’ means to ‘remain in’ or ‘stay in.’ It is a figure of speech that alludes to our continual obedience. Their is perpetuity to our studying and obeying of Scripture. For the true disciple, the Lord’s Word is not something they receive only on Sunday morning, nor is it something they only obey at the Church house. Our entire life should be rooted and grounded in the Word of God. For that to be the case, we must study it often. As we study God’s Word and grow in knowledge, we must apply that knowledge to our life. We must OBEY the Lord, and we must abide, or continue in obedience always. Only when one is obedient can they truly be the Lord’s disciples. So have you been obedient? Have you obeyed the Gospel? If so, do you continue to learn and study and apply the Lord’s Word to your life? If not, can you truly call yourself a disciple?

“That You Bear Much Fruit” (John 15:8)

John 15:8 ESV

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

First, let us remember that our purpose in following Christ is to glorify God. We do not seek glory for self or self-promotion. Following Christ is not a means to better health, higher wealth, and a more comfortable life. Some folks treat religion like something that if they do right, then God will grant their greatest wishes. While they might not admit it, such people essentially view God as some powerful magic genie. Basically, many people want to be disciples of Christ because of what they want God to do for them. But being a disciple of Christ is about glorifying God. Why do you do what you do? Do you seek to glorify God in everything you do? Do you seek opportunity to bring glory to God not just at church, but at home; at work; and at school? If we are truly the Lord’s disciples, we will seek to glorify God in all ways and at all times.

How do we glorify the Father though? Jesus explains we do so by bearing fruit. This comes on the heels of Jesus’ teaching on “the true vine.” Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. But branches are expected to bear fruit. As Christians, we must be bearing fruit in service to God. The type and amount of fruit we bear may vary from person to person, but each and every disciple will be bearing fruit.

Christianity is more than a mindset, and it’s more than just something we say we are. Christianity is a lifestyle - a lifestyle of serving Jesus. A life of bearing fruit for our Master. We bear fruit when we are good examples to others. We bear fruit when we serve others. We bear fruit when we grow spiritually. We bear fruit when we share the gospel. We bear fruit when we abide in the Lord’s word. We prove we are the Lord’s disciples by bearing fruit!

How about your life? Would you describe your Christianity as fruitful? What fruit have you born? What are you doing to bear more fruit? Do you ever think about bearing fruit for the Lord? Whatever you’ve done in the past, what can you do to bear fruit now? What can you work on, what can you do this week or even this day to bear fruit for the Master? Will this week prove is some way you are a disciple of the Lord, or will this week be fruitless?

“If You Have Love For One Another” (John 13:35)

A final word from the Lord on what discipleship looks like: it looks like love for other disciples.

John 13:35 ESV

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

As Christians, we are commanded to love many people, including even our enemies and our neighbor. But Jesus highlights the love we are to have for other Christians. He even remarks on the impact our love for one another should have on the world - they should recognize we are Christians because of the way we love one another. Can the world see that in us? When others see the way we treat one another; when they hear the way we speak about one another; do they see love? Do they see the love of Christ?

How do we love one another? Backup one verse, and we see!

John 13:34 ESV

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.

Do we love our brethren as Christ loved us? Do we care for their souls? Do we encourage and exhort them in doing right? Do we loving and sincerely rebuke and warn when they do wrong? Are we willing to sacrifice for our brethren?

Are we kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving? (Eph. 4:32; 1 Cor. 13:4)

Are we compassionate, meek, and patient? (Col. 3:12)

Are we unified, sympathetic, and humble? (1 Pet. 3:8)

Christ did not just die for me. He died for all of us. Whatever our differences might be, they are greatly overshadowed by the common bond we share in Christ. Do we act like a family in Christ? Do we act like we share a common bond of salvation? Or are we just a bunch of people that go to a church building together? Are we church-goers, or are we disciples?

Are You a Disciple?

Are you a disciple of the Lord? Are you following Him; learning from Him; obeying Him? If not why not? Yes, there is a cost to being a disciple, and you should weight that cost carefully. But know that the cost is worth it. Whatever cost there may be for you, the hope and the reward is far greater.

John 8:31–32 ESV

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

When you become a disciple of Jesus, you can find freedom - true freedom. Serving the Lord is the only way to be loosed from the shackles of sin and eternal damnation. Following the Lord is the only way to freedom, truth, and life. Following the Master as one of His disciples is the only way to Heaven. So if you are not a disciple, why not become one today?