Discipleship: February 21, 2021 Sermon

Introduction

Jesus changed the world by first changing people. The men and women who encountered Him over just 3 years of ministry were forever changed. During his ministry thousands of men, women, and children crowded to hear Him teach because He offered life giving hope.

Today I want to walk you through a few stories about Jesus and His disciples.

Let's start in Matthew chapter 4:

So Jesus is walking along one day by the sea of Galilee, a Lake and he sees a couple of brothers hard at work.

Matthew 4:18–19 ESV

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Notice Jesus says something simple to them he says follow me and I'll teach you to fish for men. Now I would imagine that Simon and Andrew had relatively simple lives at this point. They worked together and fished. They produced a product that other people wanted and things were simple. And then Jesus walks by and says something that changes their lives. Why would they want to fish for men? When they fished for fish they worked to capture and bring fish in. What would it mean to fish for men? I'm sure they didn't know the answer to that question but what they knew at that moment was that following Jesus meant leaving behind what they knew. It meant a life change.

Matthew 4:20–22 ESV

20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

These two brothers don't take much time but they immediately get up and follow Jesus. Then Jesus goes and does the exact same thing with two other brothers. They leave their father and they leave their boat and they follow Jesus. They changed their lives. Incidentally the phrase the son of zebedee referred to him being the son of Thunder. Can you imagine walking away from a dad nicknamed Thunder?

The call to follow Jesus wasn’t complicated but it demanded commitment.

So for the first disciples of Jesus following him that truly meant leaving behind their families and what they knew in order to embrace a new life they didn't know but they hoped would be worth it.

Now you would think that Jesus would welcome anyone who wants to follow him. But we actually read a couple stories where Jesus turns people away.

Matthew 8:18–22 ESV

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

Jesus pushes back on two men who want to follow him. First of all a scribe comes up to him and says that he would follow Jesus wherever he goes. And Jesus says that he has nowhere to rest. Why does he say that? Well you see, a scribe , this man wanted to follow Jesus to learn and study with him but he didn't count the cost of following Jesus. He didn't realize that following Jesus would be uncomfortable. another man came to Jesus and wanted to follow him after his father had died and Jesus said essentially you need to follow me now.

Both of these men wanted to follow Jesus with conditions. Jesus wanted these men to understand following him would come at a cost. Following him needed to be prioritized.

A little bit later Jesus gathers a crowd around him with his disciples and he sets out to teach them more about the cost of following Jesus…of following him.

Mark 8:34–35 ESV

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

When Jesus spoke about denying himself and taking up his cross that had a literal interpretation. People literally saw men carrying crosses. And then Jesus says that if you seek to save your life you will lose it but if you lose your life for his sake and the gospels you will save it. That really seems like circular logic.

Here's what Jesus is getting at I believe: if you and I live only for ourselves we will lose what we're trying to save. But if we sacrificed ourselves for the sake of serving Jesus and his message we will gain the world. We will save our lives.

Have you ever noticed when you spend a day looking out and making sure you are as comfortable as possible, you end up relatively uncomfortable. You end up concerned about the ways that you didn't get what you wanted. Instead when you take responsibility and look out for people outside yourselves you enjoy life more.

Jesus wanted his disciples to know that if you were going to follow him you needed the determination to sacrifice dearly to serve him. And you needed to believe that this sacrifice was worth it.

Luke really helps us see this high calling with quote on the teaching of Jesus.

Luke 14:25–26 ESV

25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “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.

The Cost of Discipleship

How would you respond if you heard Jesus say that you must hate your father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters an your very life? and yet that's precisely what Jesus said. Of course Jesus wasn't anti family. But Jesus wanted those who follow him to love him with such commitment that by comparison they hate their own family and their very lives.

Jesus invited His followers to a high-cost life. In fact throughout history men, women, and children have given up much in order to follow Jesus.

Ok, so here’s the question. Why would you want to follow Jesus? I like my life, my family, my parents and my siblings. What did Jesus offer that made people willing to sacrifice so much to follow Him?

The Benefits of Following Jesus

Blessings

Matthew 7:24–25 ESV

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

We will experience the rock solid confidence of a life built on a solid foundation. Jesus came to us from God the Father to show us how to live.

Joy

John 15:10–11 ESV

10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

How many of you want more joy in your life? How many people do you know who don’t know Jesus and do know a lot of joy in their lives? How many Christians do you know who don’t experience joy in their lives? Jesus offers joy.

Peace

John 14:27 ESV

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Jesus offers peace to us. You can have all the money in the world but if you lack peace, you’ve lost the world. Jesus offers a life of peace.

True Happiness

Many people spend a lifetime pursuing happiness. God offers true happiness found in doing His will.

Psalm 119:1–2 ESV

1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,

Matthew 5:3–12 ESV

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

In following Jesus we can know blessing and joy regardless of and through each circumstance.

We are the family of Jesus

Matthew 12:46–50 ESV

46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Eternal life

Jesus offers eternal life to us

Matthew 19:29 ESV

29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Jesus offers life, peace, family, happiness, and eternal life. That’s why people followed Him. They saw someone who was different than they knew, who cared about them as they were, he cared about their hearts.

Jesus calls us to share discipleship with the world around us.

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Men and women without Jesus spend lifetimes pursuing all that He offers only to come up largely empty.

Jesus offers blessing, peace, joy, true happiness, family, and eternal life. He offers your best life today and every day regardless of your circumstances. He offers us the opportunity to transform the lives of men and women in the broken world around us.

Following Jesus will involve us transforming from the people we once were and becoming men and women with lives filled with His many blessings.

Conclusion

Discipleship is what Cornerstone Bible Church is all about. All our services, small groups, potlucks, town halls, missions and more. Everything we do is about transforming men and women into disciples of Jesus. Our goal as elders is to see every man, women and child grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Will you chose to follow Jesus today? Will you commit yourself to growing in your faith today? This means relentlessly spending time with God and His words daily. This means determination to spend time in community with other believers regularly. This means a commitment to give financially back to God out of what He has given you. This means each and every one of you owning 100% responsibility to take action and grow in your faith this week. The responsibility and choice is yours today, following Jesus takes sacrifice and commitment, but it is worth it.

Pray with me now.