The Path of a Disciple
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Discipleship requires a Decision
Discipleship requires a Decision
The road not taken - Robert Frost:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
And that has made all the difference.
Unlike Frost’s view of life’s travels, Jesus presents his listeners with an invitation and a choice of eternal consequence - “Enter by the narrow gate.”
Following Christ excludes walking in the world’s path.
Following Christ will not be the popular choice.
Following Christ is the ONLY way to eternal life.
Discipleship requires Discernment
Discipleship requires Discernment
Jesus warns his followers to watch out for false prophets in sheep’s clothing. They appear to be genuine believers on the outside, but are pulling others into their destruction. They are often self-deceived.
D. Martin Lloyd Jones said that the danger in false teaching is often in what is left out more than in what is said. God’s righteousness, justice, wrath toward sin, and eternal judgment are ignored.
In Old Testmant false prophets preached comfort to people dead in their sin.
“For from the least to the greatest of them,
everyone is greedy for unjust gain;
and from prophet to priest,
everyone deals falsely.
They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
when there is no peace.
They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
when there is no peace.
“For from the least to the greatest of them,
everyone is greedy for unjust gain;
and from prophet to priest,
everyone deals falsely.
They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
when there is no peace.
Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed;
they did not know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,”
says the Lord.
They claim to speak for God, but He has not sent them and they do not speak His Word.
Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel.
,
They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the Lord,’ although I have not spoken?”
Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord God. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God.
They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the Lord,’ although I have not spoken?”
Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord God.
Ezek 13:
Wrong doctrine will always lead to wrong living.
You will know them by their fruit. What is produced from their life? Repentance and faith in God? Growing in Christlike living? or Pride and accumulation of wealth for themselves?
Jesus rejects those who have not come to Him in repentance and faith.
We are saved by Christ’s work, not our efforts.
Discipleship requires Doing
Discipleship requires Doing
What are you building your life upon? The foundation of Christ and His word, or the shifting sands of your own understanding.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 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. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 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. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
The storms of life will test you, but if you have built upon Christ and His word then the storms will only serve to demonstrate the strength of your foundation. They will drive you for refuge in Christ.
If you have built on the sands of human experience then you will be washed adrift by the storm.
Both type of men hear Christ Word, but only the wise act upon the Word in obedience and faith.