The Disciple's Call
Understanding Our Mission • Sermon • Submitted
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· 18 viewsThe call to become Christ's disciple and a citizen of the kingdom is a call to full commitment.
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The Disciple's Call
Luke 9:57–62
57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
INTRODUCTION:
A- The Mission of Christ:
1- Establish His Kingdom.
a. The Plan:
Referred to in the Gospels as the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God.
This kingdom is so wonderful that becoming a citizen is worth losing everything in the world to gain it.
(Matthew 13:44)
44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
b. The Problem:
The character demands of kingdom citizens is high.
(Matthew 5:20)
20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
The warped character of all people (because of sin) makes it impossible for normal, fleshly people to enter the kingdom.
(Luke 18:18-19)
18 Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good.
(John 3:3, 5)
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.
c. The Proclamation:
Jesus came to proclaim the Good News (Gospel) that He was making the way for people to be made right with God.
(Luke 8:1)
1 Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him,
Jesus foretold and fulfilled the redemptive price to provide forgiveness and transformation of life to all who repent and believe in Him.
(Mark 1:14-15)
14 Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News.
15 “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”
(John 3:15-18)
15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.
B- The Mandate of Christ:
1- Answer His call to discipleship and join Him in His mission:
a. Seek out those who are lost.
(Luke 19:10)
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
b. Be His witnesses.
(Acts 1:8)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
c. Disciple those won to faith.
(Matthew 28:19-20)
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
d. Live-out a life that reflects your kingdom citizenship.
TS: If we are to fulfill the role of His disciple, following Him and drawing the lost to Him, we must do three things.
I- PUT CHRIST’S MISSION AHEAD OF PERSONAL COMFORT. (LUKE 9:57-58)
I- PUT CHRIST’S MISSION AHEAD OF PERSONAL COMFORT. (LUKE 9:57-58)
57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
A- When we choose to follow Jesus, we must choose to go wherever that takes us. (Luke 9:57)
A- When we choose to follow Jesus, we must choose to go wherever that takes us. (Luke 9:57)
57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
1- We must be willing to put Christ’s desires ahead of out own.
(Matthew 16:24-25)
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
B- Following Christ means putting our commitment to Him and His mission ahead of our own comfort. (Luke 9:58)
B- Following Christ means putting our commitment to Him and His mission ahead of our own comfort. (Luke 9:58)
58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
(1 Peter 4:2)
2 You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.
II- PUT CHRIST’S MISSION AHEAD OF EARTHLY ENTANGLEMENTS (LUKE 9:59-60)
II- PUT CHRIST’S MISSION AHEAD OF EARTHLY ENTANGLEMENTS (LUKE 9:59-60)
59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
A- Jesus’ call is both personal and pointed. (Luke 9:59 a)
A- Jesus’ call is both personal and pointed. (Luke 9:59 a)
59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
1- The call was given to each individual.
2- The call is to follow Christ and become what only He can make of you.
(Matthew 4:19)
19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
B- Jesus’ call is a potent call to place Him and His cause above worldly entanglements. (Luke 9:59 b - 60)
B- Jesus’ call is a potent call to place Him and His cause above worldly entanglements. (Luke 9:59 b - 60)
59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
III- PERFORM CHRIST’S MISSION WITHOUT LOOKING BACK (LUKE 9:61-62)
III- PERFORM CHRIST’S MISSION WITHOUT LOOKING BACK (LUKE 9:61-62)
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
A- Jesus’ call is one that does not allow for delay (Luke 9:61)
A- Jesus’ call is one that does not allow for delay (Luke 9:61)
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
1- We must be willing to surrender to Christ and follow Him now.
(Matthew 4:18-22)
18 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.
19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.
21 A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too.
22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.
B- Jesus’ call demands a singular focus forward. (Luke 9:62)
B- Jesus’ call demands a singular focus forward. (Luke 9:62)
62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
1- Like Paul
New Living Translation Chapter 3
I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
(Philippians 3:13-14)
CONCLUSION:
NOTES:
Commitment, to Jesus Christ
Synopsis
Commitment to Jesus Christ is grounded in the knowledge of his saving power and divinity, and expresses itself in adoration and obedience to Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ commanded people to make the commitment to follow him
Mt 4:19; Mt 9:9
Matthew 4:19 (NLT) — 19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
Matthew 9:9 (NLT) — 9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.
See also Mt 19:21–22; Jn 1:43; Jn 21:19; Jn 21:22; Ro 15:5; 1 Co 1:12 There may have been a “Christ-party” at Corinth, or in contrast with the sectarianism, Paul may be asserting his own commitment to Jesus Christ.
Matthew 19:21–22 (NLT) — 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
John 1:43 (NLT) — 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.”
John 21:19 (NLT) — 19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
John 21:22 (NLT) — 22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
Romans 15:5 (NLT) — 5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 1:12 (NLT) — 12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.”
Jesus Christ frequently spelt out the cost of commitment to him
Mt 10:37–38; Mt 16:24; Jn 12:25–26
Matthew 10:37–38 (NLT) — 37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.
Matthew 16:24 (NLT) — 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
John 12:25–26 (NLT) — 25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26 Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
See also Mt 8:22; Mt 10:39; Mt 19:21; Lk 14:28–33; 1 Pe 2:21
Matthew 8:22 (NLT) — 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.”
Matthew 10:39 (NLT) — 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
Matthew 19:21 (NLT) — 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Luke 14:28–33 (NLT) — 28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ 31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.
1 Peter 2:21 (NLT) — 21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
Jesus Christ’s demand for commitment was sometimes met with a refusal
Lk 9:59
Luke 9:59 (NLT) — 59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
See also Lk 9:61
Luke 9:61 (NLT) — 61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
Sometimes people followed Jesus Christ without being truly committed to him
Jn 6:2 This would have been true for many in the crowds.
John 6:2 (NLT) — 2 A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick.
See also Jn 6:66
John 6:66 (NLT) — 66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.
Some committed themselves wholeheartedly to his invitation
Mt 4:20; Mt 4:22; Mt 9:9; Jn 1:40
Matthew 4:20 (NLT) — 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.
Matthew 4:22 (NLT) — 22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.
Matthew 9:9 (NLT) — 9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.
John 1:40 (NLT) — 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus.
Secret commitment to Jesus Christ
Jn 12:42
John 12:42 (NLT) — 42 Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.
See also Jn 3:1–2
John 3:1–2 (NLT) — 1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
True commitment to Jesus Christ is seen in love and obedience to him
Jn 14:21; Php 2:12 In response to who Jesus Christ is and what he has done.
John 14:21 (NLT) — 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
Philippians 2:12 (NLT) — 12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.
See also Jn 8:31; Jn 14:15; Jn 14:23–24; 1 Co 11:1; 1 Co 16:22; Eph 6:5–6; Eph 6:24; 1 Jn 2:3; 1 Jn 3:22–24; Re 14:4
John 8:31 (NLT) — 31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.
John 14:15 (NLT) — 15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.
John 14:23–24 (NLT) — 23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NLT) — 1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
1 Corinthians 16:22 (NLT) — 22 If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed. Our Lord, come!
Ephesians 6:5–6 (NLT) — 5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. 6 Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.
Ephesians 6:24 (NLT) — 24 May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 John 2:3 (NLT) — 3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.
1 John 3:22–24 (NLT) — 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. 23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.
Revelation 14:4 (NLT) — 4 They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb.
Cost of discipleship
Synopsis
The denial of self-interests and desires, and a total commitment to do the will of God, even to the point of death.
The cost of discipleship involves a denial of self-interests and desires
The cost involves self-denial
Mt 16:24
Matthew 16:24 (NLT) — 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
See also Mt 10:38; Lk 14:27
Matthew 10:38 (NLT) — 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.
Luke 14:27 (NLT) — 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
Self-denial means not living for oneself
Ro 14:7
Romans 14:7 (NLT) — 7 For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves.
See also 2 Co 5:15; Ga 2:20; 1 Pe 4:2
2 Corinthians 5:15 (NLT) — 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
Galatians 2:20 (NLT) — 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
1 Peter 4:2 (NLT) — 2 You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.
The cost of discipleship is to be carefully considered
Lk 14:28–32
Luke 14:28–32 (NLT) — 28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ 31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away.
The cost of discipleship means total commitment to the will of God
Total surrender is required
Lk 14:33
Luke 14:33 (NLT) — 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.
See also Php 3:7–8
Philippians 3:7–8 (NLT) — 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ
The security of the world is to be resisted
Mt 8:19–20
Matthew 8:19–20 (NLT) — 19 Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
Jesus Christ must have first priority
Lk 9:59–60
Luke 9:59–60 (NLT) — 59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
See also Mt 19:16–21; Col 1:18
Matthew 19:16–21 (NLT) — 16 Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “ ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Colossians 1:18 (NLT) — 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.
Jesus Christ must come before family ties
Lk 9:61–62
Luke 9:61–62 (NLT) — 61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” 62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
See also Mt 10:37; Lk 14:26
Matthew 10:37 (NLT) — 37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
Luke 14:26 (NLT) — 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.
The cost of discipleship is constant
Lk 9:23
Luke 9:23 (NLT) — 23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
The cost of discipleship includes persecution
Jn 15:20
John 15:20 (NLT) — 20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.
See also Ac 14:22; 2 Ti 3:12
Acts 14:22 (NLT) — 22 where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.
2 Timothy 3:12 (NLT) — 12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
The cost of discipleship includes willingess to suffer and die for Jesus Christ’s sake
Mt 10:38–39
Matthew 10:38–39 (NLT) — 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
See also Mt 16:24–25; Jn 12:25
Matthew 16:24–25 (NLT) — 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
John 12:25 (NLT) — 25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.
Delay, human
Synopsis
Human delay is often the result of fear, indecision or disobedience to God. Scripture indicates that delay is to be avoided.
Examples of delay as a result of fear
Israel entering the promised land
Nu 13:31–32
Numbers 13:31–32 (NLT) — 31 But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” 32 So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge.
See also Nu 13:1–3; Nu 13:17–20; Nu 13:27–30; Nu 14:33–35
Numbers 13:1–3 (NLT) — 1 The Lord now said to Moses, 2 “Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the Israelites. Send one leader from each of the twelve ancestral tribes.” 3 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He sent out twelve men, all tribal leaders of Israel, from their camp in the wilderness of Paran.
Numbers 13:17–20 (NLT) — 17 Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: “Go north through the Negev into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? 20 Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.” (It happened to be the season for harvesting the first ripe grapes.)
Numbers 13:27–30 (NLT) — 27 This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. 28 But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan Valley.” 30 But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”
Numbers 14:33–35 (NLT) — 33 And your children will be like shepherds, wandering in the wilderness for forty years. In this way, they will pay for your faithlessness, until the last of you lies dead in the wilderness. 34 “ ‘Because your men explored the land for forty days, you must wander in the wilderness for forty years—a year for each day, suffering the consequences of your sins. Then you will discover what it is like to have me for an enemy.’ 35 I, the Lord, have spoken! I will certainly do these things to every member of the community who has conspired against me. They will be destroyed here in this wilderness, and here they will die!”
Gideon responding to God’s call
Jdg 6:36–40
Judges 6:36–40 (NLT) — 36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, 37 prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” 38 And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” 40 So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.
Examples of delay as a result of disobedience
Lot escaping from Sodom
Ge 19:16
Genesis 19:16 (NLT) — 16 When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the Lord was merciful.
See also Ge 19:12–15
Genesis 19:12–15 (NLT) — 12 Meanwhile, the angels questioned Lot. “Do you have any other relatives here in the city?” they asked. “Get them out of this place—your sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else. 13 For we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the Lord, and he has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters’ fiancés, “Quick, get out of the city! The Lord is about to destroy it.” But the young men thought he was only joking. 15 At dawn the next morning the angels became insistent. “Hurry,” they said to Lot. “Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out right now, or you will be swept away in the destruction of the city!”
Jonah going to Nineveh
Jon 1:3
Jonah 1:3 (NLT) — 3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.
See also Ps 119:60; Jon 1:1–2; Jon 3:1–3 Jonah obeyed the second time.
Psalm 119:60 (NLT) — 60 I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.
Jonah 1:1–2 (NLT) — 1 The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”
Jonah 3:1–3 (NLT) — 1 Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” 3 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.
Nothing should delay believers from following Jesus Christ
Mt 8:21–22
Matthew 8:21–22 (NLT) — 21 Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.”
See also Mt 9:9; Mk 1:20; Lk 14:15–24; Lk 19:5–6
Matthew 9:9 (NLT) — 9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.
Mark 1:20 (NLT) — 20 He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.
Luke 14:15–24 (NLT) — 15 Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” 16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ 21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’ ”
Luke 19:5–6 (NLT) — 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.
People should not delay in the matter of salvation
Is 55:6
Isaiah 55:6 (NLT) — 6 Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
See also Am 6:3; Ac 24:24–26; 2 Co 6:2; Heb 2:3
Amos 6:3 (NLT) — 3 You push away every thought of coming disaster, but your actions only bring the day of judgment closer.
Acts 24:24–26 (NLT) — 24 A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.” 26 He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him.
2 Corinthians 6:2 (NLT) — 2 For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
Hebrews 2:3 (NLT) — 3 So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?
Believers are not to delay in fulfilling their vows to God and obligations to others
Ec 5:4
Ecclesiastes 5:4 (NLT) — 4 When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him.
See also Le 19:13; Dt 23:21; Ps 61:8
Leviticus 19:13 (NLT) — 13 “Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. “Do not make your hired workers wait until the next day to receive their pay.
Deuteronomy 23:21 (NLT) — 21 “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin.
Psalm 61:8 (NLT) — 8 Then I will sing praises to your name forever as I fulfill my vows each day.
Examples of human responses to delay
Sarah’s wrong response brought trouble
Ge 16:1–6
Genesis 16:1–6 (NLT) — 1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. 3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.) 4 So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!” 6 Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.
Saul’s wrong response cost him the kingship
1 Sa 13:11–12
1 Samuel 13:11–12 (NLT) — 11 but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?” Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. 12 So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”
See also 1 Sa 13:8–10; 1 Sa 13:13–14
1 Samuel 13:8–10 (NLT) — 8 Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. 9 So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself. 10 Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him,
1 Samuel 13:13–14 (NLT) — 13 “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
Jacob responded with patience
Ge 29:20–30
Genesis 29:20–30 (NLT) — 20 So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days. 21 Finally, the time came for him to marry her. “I have fulfilled my agreement,” Jacob said to Laban. “Now give me my wife so I can sleep with her.” 22 So Laban invited everyone in the neighborhood and prepared a wedding feast. 23 But that night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 (Laban had given Leah a servant, Zilpah, to be her maid.) 25 But when Jacob woke up in the morning—it was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob raged at Laban. “I worked seven years for Rachel! Why have you tricked me?” 26 “It’s not our custom here to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn,” Laban replied. 27 “But wait until the bridal week is over; then we’ll give you Rachel, too—provided you promise to work another seven years for me.” 28 So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. A week after Jacob had married Leah, Laban gave him Rachel, too. 29 (Laban gave Rachel a servant, Bilhah, to be her maid.) 30 So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, and he loved her much more than Leah. He then stayed and worked for Laban the additional seven years.
Paul responded by giving instructions to Timothy
1 Ti 3:14–15
1 Timothy 3:14–15 (NLT) — 14 I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 15 so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.
Daniel responded by praying
Da 9:19
Daniel 9:19 (NLT) — 19 “O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.”
See also Da 9:1–23; Da 10:10–13 Gabriel explains the reason for the delay.
Daniel 9:1–23 (NLT) — 1 It was the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, who became king of the Babylonians. 2 During the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, learned from reading the word of the Lord, as revealed to Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands. 5 But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. 6 We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets, who spoke on your authority to our kings and princes and ancestors and to all the people of the land. 7 “Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you. 8 O Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. 9 But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. 10 We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has disobeyed your instruction and turned away, refusing to listen to your voice. “So now the solemn curses and judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured down on us because of our sin. 12 You have kept your word and done to us and our rulers exactly as you warned. Never has there been such a disaster as happened in Jerusalem. 13 Every curse written against us in the Law of Moses has come true. Yet we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth. 14 Therefore, the Lord has brought upon us the disaster he prepared. The Lord our God was right to do all of these things, for we did not obey him. 15 “O Lord our God, you brought lasting honor to your name by rescuing your people from Egypt in a great display of power. But we have sinned and are full of wickedness. 16 In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. All the neighboring nations mock Jerusalem and your people because of our sins and the sins of our ancestors. 17 “O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary. 18 “O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city—the city that bears your name—lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy. 19 “O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.” 20 I went on praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, pleading with the Lord my God for Jerusalem, his holy mountain. 21 As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He explained to me, “Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding. 23 The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God. Listen carefully so that you can understand the meaning of your vision.
Daniel 10:10–13 (NLT) — 10 Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. 11 And the man said to me, “Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling. 12 Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. 13 But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.
David reponded by calling on the Lord
Ps 13:1; Ps 40:17; Ps 141:1
Psalm 13:1 (NLT) — 1 O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?
Psalm 40:17 (NLT) — 17 As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts. You are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay.
Psalm 141:1 (NLT) — 1 O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help!
Nature of discipleship
Synopsis
The state of following Jesus Christ, and serving and obeying him. The NT stresses the privileges, joys and cost of this calling.
Discipleship involves learning
Learning from God
Jn 6:45
John 6:45 (NLT) — 45 As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.
See also Is 54:13; Le 11:44–45; Le 19:2; Le 20:7; Eph 5:1–2; 1 Pe 1:15–16
Isaiah 54:13 (NLT) — 13 I will teach all your children, and they will enjoy great peace.
Leviticus 11:44–45 (NLT) — 44 For I am the Lord your God. You must consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. So do not defile yourselves with any of these small animals that scurry along the ground. 45 For I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy.
Leviticus 19:2 (NLT) — 2 “Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.
Leviticus 20:7 (NLT) — 7 So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God.
Ephesians 5:1–2 (NLT) — 1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
1 Peter 1:15–16 (NLT) — 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
Learning from Jesus Christ
Mt 11:29
Matthew 11:29 (NLT) — 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
See also Jn 13:15; Eph 4:20–21; Php 2:5; 1 Pe 2:21; 1 Jn 2:6
John 13:15 (NLT) — 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.
Ephesians 4:20–21 (NLT) — 20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,
Philippians 2:5 (NLT) — 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
1 Peter 2:21 (NLT) — 21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
1 John 2:6 (NLT) — 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
Learning from the Holy Spirit
Jn 14:26
John 14:26 (NLT) — 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
See also Lk 12:12; Jn 16:13; 1 Co 2:13; Eph 1:17; Eph 3:16–19; 1 Pe 1:12
Luke 12:12 (NLT) — 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”
John 16:13 (NLT) — 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
1 Corinthians 2:13 (NLT) — 13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.
Ephesians 1:17 (NLT) — 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
Ephesians 3:16–19 (NLT) — 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
1 Peter 1:12 (NLT) — 12 They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.
Learning from other people
Php 4:9
Philippians 4:9 (NLT) — 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
See also Dt 4:10; Dt 5:1; Dt 31:12; 1 Co 4:6; 1 Co 4:16; 1 Co 11:1; Php 3:17; 2 Th 3:7; 2 Th 3:9; 1 Ti 2:11; 1 Ti 5:4; 2 Ti 3:14
Deuteronomy 4:10 (NLT) — 10 Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, where he told me, ‘Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.’
Deuteronomy 5:1 (NLT) — 1 Moses called all the people of Israel together and said, “Listen carefully, Israel. Hear the decrees and regulations I am giving you today, so you may learn them and obey them!
Deuteronomy 31:12 (NLT) — 12 Call them all together—men, women, children, and the foreigners living in your towns—so they may hear this Book of Instruction and learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully obey all the terms of these instructions.
1 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT) — 6 Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another.
1 Corinthians 4:16 (NLT) — 16 So I urge you to imitate me.
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NLT) — 1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
Philippians 3:17 (NLT) — 17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.
2 Thessalonians 3:7 (NLT) — 7 For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you.
2 Thessalonians 3:9 (NLT) — 9 We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow.
1 Timothy 2:11 (NLT) — 11 Women should learn quietly and submissively.
1 Timothy 5:4 (NLT) — 4 But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God.
2 Timothy 3:14 (NLT) — 14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.
Learning to do what is good
Tt 3:14
Titus 3:14 (NLT) — 14 Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive.
See also Ps 34:14; Ps 37:27; Is 1:17; Is 26:9; 3 Jn 11
Psalm 34:14 (NLT) — 14 Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
Psalm 37:27 (NLT) — 27 Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever.
Isaiah 1:17 (NLT) — 17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.
Isaiah 26:9 (NLT) — 9 In the night I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek you. For only when you come to judge the earth will people learn what is right.
3 John 11 (NLT) — 11 Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.
Jesus Christ calls people to be his disciples
Mt 4:19
Matthew 4:19 (NLT) — 19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
See also Mt 4:21 Jesus Christ calls James and John; Mt 8:21–22; Mt 9:9 Jesus Christ calls Matthew; Mt 19:21; Jn 1:43 Jesus Christ calls Philip; Jn 21:19
Matthew 4:21 (NLT) — 21 A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too.
Matthew 8:21–22 (NLT) — 21 Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.”
Matthew 9:9 (NLT) — 9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.
Matthew 19:21 (NLT) — 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
John 1:43 (NLT) — 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.”
John 21:19 (NLT) — 19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
The consequences of discipleship
Following Jesus Christ
Mt 10:38
Matthew 10:38 (NLT) — 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.
See also Mt 16:24; Lk 14:27; Jn 10:27; Jn 12:26; Re 14:4
Matthew 16:24 (NLT) — 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
Luke 14:27 (NLT) — 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
John 10:27 (NLT) — 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
John 12:26 (NLT) — 26 Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
Revelation 14:4 (NLT) — 4 They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb.
Serving Jesus Christ
Col 3:24
Colossians 3:24 (NLT) — 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
See also Mt 20:25–28; Ro 12:11; 1 Th 1:9
Matthew 20:25–28 (NLT) — 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Romans 12:11 (NLT) — 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
1 Thessalonians 1:9 (NLT) — 9 for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God.
Obeying Jesus Christ
Jn 8:31
John 8:31 (NLT) — 31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.
See also Jn 14:21; Jn 14:23–24; Jn 15:10; Jn 15:14; 1 Jn 2:3; 1 Jn 3:22; 1 Jn 3:24; 1 Jn 5:3
John 14:21 (NLT) — 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
John 14:23–24 (NLT) — 23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.
John 15:10 (NLT) — 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
John 15:14 (NLT) — 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
1 John 2:3 (NLT) — 3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.
1 John 3:22 (NLT) — 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.
1 John 3:24 (NLT) — 24 Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.
1 John 5:3 (NLT) — 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.
Responding immediately to Jesus Christ’s commands
Mt 8:21–22
Matthew 8:21–22 (NLT) — 21 Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.”
See also Mt 4:20; Mt 4:22
Matthew 4:20 (NLT) — 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.
Matthew 4:22 (NLT) — 22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.
Living for Jesus Christ and not for oneself
2 Co 5:15
2 Corinthians 5:15 (NLT) — 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
See also Ro 14:7–8; 1 Pe 4:2
Romans 14:7–8 (NLT) — 7 For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. 8 If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
1 Peter 4:2 (NLT) — 2 You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.
Loving others
Jn 13:12–17
John 13:12–17 (NLT) — 12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
See also Jn 15:9–14; 1 Jn 4:7–21
John 15:9–14 (NLT) — 9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
1 John 4:7–21 (NLT) — 7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.
Total commitment is required of Jesus Christ’s disciples
Mt 10:37–39
Matthew 10:37–39 (NLT) — 37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
See also Mt 16:24–25; Mk 6:8; Lk 14:26–27; Lk 17:33; Jn 12:25
Matthew 16:24–25 (NLT) — 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
Mark 6:8 (NLT) — 8 He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money.
Luke 14:26–27 (NLT) — 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
Luke 17:33 (NLT) — 33 If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.
John 12:25 (NLT) — 25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.
The purpose of discipleship is to become Christlike
Eph 4:22–24
Ephesians 4:22–24 (NLT) — 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
See also Mt 5:48; Lk 6:40; Ro 8:29 God’s purpose in election; Ro 12:1–2; Ro 13:14; 2 Co 3:18; 2 Co 7:1; Eph 1:4; Col 1:28; Col 3:12; 2 Ti 3:17 the purpose of Scripture; 1 Pe 1:14–15 a call to holiness; 2 Pe 1:5–7; 1 Jn 3:2–3
Matthew 5:48 (NLT) — 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Luke 6:40 (NLT) — 40 Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
Romans 8:29 (NLT) — 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Romans 12:1–2 (NLT) — 1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 13:14 (NLT) — 14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT) — 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
2 Corinthians 7:1 (NLT) — 1 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.
Ephesians 1:4 (NLT) — 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
Colossians 1:28 (NLT) — 28 So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.
Colossians 3:12 (NLT) — 12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
2 Timothy 3:17 (NLT) — 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
1 Peter 1:14–15 (NLT) — 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.
2 Peter 1:5–7 (NLT) — 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
1 John 3:2–3 (NLT) — 2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.
Examples of secret discipleship
Jn 3:1–2
John 3:1–2 (NLT) — 1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
See also Jn 7:50; Jn 12:42; Jn 19:38–39
John 7:50 (NLT) — 50 Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up.
John 12:42 (NLT) — 42 Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.
John 19:38–39 (NLT) — 38 Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. 39 With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.