What does it mean to be a desciple of Christ
a disciple of Christ • Sermon • Submitted
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· 30 viewsWhat does it take to be a disciple of Christ; who are the disciples of Christ, The cost of being a disciple of Christ
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In this sermon today i hope to answer 3 questions for you.
What does it mean to be a follower/disciple of Christ?
The Cost of following Christ?
Who are the disciples of Christ?
Discipleship Lexham Theological wordbook
Discipleship is the process of devoting oneself to a teacher to learn from and become more like them. For the Christian, this refers to the process of learning the teachings of Jesus and following after his example in obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit. Discipleship not only involves the process of becoming a disciple but of making other disciples through teaching and evangelism
Define disciple: Easton’s bible dictionary. a scholar - (we need to be lifetime students of God’s word.)
A disciple of Christ is one who (1) believes his doctrine, (2) rests on his sacrifice, (3) imbibes his spirit, and (4) imitates his example (Mat 10:24; Luke 14:26,27,33; John 6:69).
By this definition we see who are disciples of Christ? what it cost to be a disciple/follower of Christ? First you must Be called by God to the Gospel John 3:16-18, Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:4-10 Titus 3:5
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
Jesus calling
Matthew 4:17-22
17 ¶ From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
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.”
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.
In Verse 17 what is meant by repent? To change ones mind & purpose, ah that makes it a whole new ball game right?
Repent. This is no mere academic change of mind, nor mere regret or remorse. repentance is a radical turning from sin that inevitably becomes evident in the fruit of righteousness
There are two key statements Jesus makes in Vs. 19, what are they? What makes the second so important to not just pass over? Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men .
C.H Spurgeon; said it this way, WHEN CHRIST CALLS US by his grace we ought not only to remember what we are, but we ought also to think of what he can make us. It is, "Follow me, and I will make you." We should repent of what we have been, but rejoice in what we may be. It is not "Follow me, because of what you are already." It is not "Follow me, because you may make something of yourselves;" but, "Follow me, because of what I will make you.
Two sets of brothers that were called in the verses we read. What are the similarities to their calling by Jesus? Are there any differences ? Difference is they left their father. This is a good example of
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.
This does not literally mean hate them but that Christ comes first and that you may be rejected and despised by them because of Christ . Example of Jehovah witnesses.
Let’s look at Jesus interaction with Nicodemus
John 3:1-10
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."
3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
7. Who were the Pharisees?
MacAurthur; The word “Pharisee” most likely comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to separate” and therefore probably means “separated ones.” They were not separatists in the sense of isolationists but in the puritanical sense, i.e., they were highly zealous for ritual and religious purity according to the Mosaic law as well as their own traditions that they added to the OT legislation. Although their origin is unknown, they seem to have arisen as an offshoot from the “Hasidim” or “pious ones” during the Maccabean era. They were generally from the Jewish middle class and mostly consisted of laity (businessmen) rather than priests or Levites. They represented the orthodox core of Judaism and very strongly influenced the common people of Israel.
Why did Nicodemus come by night?
What does it mean to be born again? What does the phrase literally mean?
born again. The phrase lit. means “born from above.”
In Verse 5 what is meant when Jesus said unless one is born of water and by the spirit? Jesus is not speaking of literal water or baptism he is speaking figuratively
Ezekiel 36:25-27
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:25, ESV)
Eph, 5:25-27
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
What about Nicodemus, are there any indication that he might have be born again?
John 7:50-52
50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them,
51 "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?"
52 They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee." (John 7:50, ESV)
John 19; 38-40
38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body.
39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.
40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
Is there a cost associated with following Christ?
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.
Luke 14:27 (ESV)
Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
Matthew 16:24 (ESV)
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Luke 6:40 (ESV)
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Matthew 19:21 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.
Luke 14:33 (ESV)
So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
What is our mission as followers of Christ and how do we live that out in our day to day lives?
Following Jesus is our target, fishers of men. What are some practical ways to do that ?
We study his word. we pray submit to his authority in and over our lives. We love God. We take the opportunities God gives us to share our faith with others.
Is it easy to share your faith?
Probably not for most of us, But we can trust And rest in the fact that God saves people it is all his work and he will enable us to do what is needed to follow him
In reference to Matthew 4:19 C.H Spurgeon said this; WHEN CHRIST CALLS US by his grace we ought not only to remember what we are, but we ought also to think of what he can make us. It is, "Follow me, and I will make you." We should repent of what we have been, but rejoice in what we may be. It is not "Follow me, because of what you are already." It is not "Follow me, because you may make something of yourselves;" but, "Follow me, because of what I will make you.