Sermon Tone Analysis

Pre-Sermon Ice Breaker

Charlotte Nadin from the Christians who enjoy Good Clean Jokes Group writes: When I was in 5th grad our teacher announced she wanted us to line up at the door to go out for recess, only she wanted the Christian’s to line up first, this time.

I was surprised so see that the entire class eventually, line up as I sat quietly in my chair.

My teacher, Mrs. Adam’s came over to me and said, “Charlotte, I’m surprised not to see you in line!

Aren’t you a Christian?”

I responded proudly, “No Ma’am, I’m a Baptist!”

Introduction

If you stop people on the street and ask them, “Are you a Christian?”

Some people would say, “yes.”

Others would say, “What do you mean?”

Some would tell you, “Yes, but...” or “No, but...” And some would flat out say, “No, I’m definitely not a Christian.”

Here’s a strange fact: The first followers of Jesus didn’t call themselves Christians.

The term was actually a derogatory term used by people outside of Jesus community.

It’s not the name they chose for themselves.

So, if the first Christians didn’t call themselves Christians, What did they call themselves” You see the answer is right there in the same verse: Disciples.

The word Christian is only used 3 times in the whole Bible.

Disciple is used 256 times in the King James Bible.

What is a disciple?

The standard definition of “Disciple is someone who adheres to the teachings of another.

It is a follower or a learner.

It refers to someone who takes up the ways of someone else.

Applied to Jesus, a disciple is someone who learns from him to live like him - someone who, because of God’s awakening grace, conforms his or her words and ways to the words and ways of Jesus.

Or, you might says, as others have in the past, disciples of Jesus are themselves “little Christs” (Which is what the word Christian really means.)

In today’s culture many are not disciples or Biblical Christians, they are cultural Christians.

they are Christians because their parents were or because we live in what was once called a Christian Nation.

In our text today we take a look at a verse that has often been thought of as the explanation of what a disciple is.

As we look at it this morning I want to look at it in reverse.

Because if this verse tells us what a disciple is, it then will also tell us what the obstacles are to being a disciple.

If you are only a Christian in name, then this passage will reveal what kind of Christian is not a disciple.

A disciple is not...

Body

I. …Indulgent Christian

Let Him deny himself.

II.

…Infrequent Christian

…and take up his cross daily

Many think that Jesus is telling us we need to bear some burden for Jesus.

They think that poverty, or sickness, or problems are their cross to bear.

But this is a significant misunderstanding of what Jesus is speaking of.

In Jesus time the cross was not a symbol of something else, it was one thing: the most painful death one could suffer.

Jesus is speaking to us about dying to self.

as we spoke of in the previous point.

What I really want to focus on here is the word we so often neglect to notice.

It is the word “Daily”

The word “Daily” appears 22 Times in the New Testament.

Our faith is not something that we live only on Sunday, or at Christmas and Easter.

It is something we do daily.

We pray daily

We serve daily

We preach Jesus daily

We encourage each other daily

III.

…Independent Christian

Follow Him

Conclusion

Are you a Christian?

I would hope that you can answer yes.

If not you should take care of business with him today.

But I would ask you another question this morning: Are you a disciple?

Today I encourage to Surrender your indulgence, Surrender your Infrequency, Surrender you Independence and become a disciple of Jesus.