Spirit Empowered Discipleship (Part 3)

Spirit Empowered Discipleship  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  22:06
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Mark 8:34-38

Mark 8:34–38 NKJV
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

The Basis of Discipleship

Discipleship is not for the faint of heart. Even though we rely on Christ to do the heavy lifting, there is a part we have in the discipleship process. We must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him.
Deny ourselves- Life teaches us to be the center of our world. It says "Stand up for yourself", "Don't let anyone take advantage of you" etc. Jesus teaches us that the true value of us is in what we release about us. Mark 8:35-36 If our total focus is the preservation of self we ultimately loose what we seek. True value is found when we life selflessly with the heart of a servant. God is not looking for leaders with answers, He seeks servants willing to work.

What Discipleship is

Two types of Discipleship
++Student-Teacher (Greek)
The Greek Model
++Provides information
++Connects student to the subject
The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary Disciple, Discipleship

In Greek culture, the phenomenon of discipleship appears in a number of forms (philosophy students, religious scholarship, and mystery cults). The teacher-student relationship is predominantly characterized by the concept of mimēsis. Teachers and students are bound together by a certain teaching and practice of life, and the student is recognizable in his imitation of the teachings and life of the teacher

Types of Discipleship
Student-Teacher (Greek)
++Relational Model (Hebrew)
Relational Model
++Provides instruction
++Connects student to teacher
The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary Disciple, Discipleship

While the rabbinic scholar is bound beyond the teachings of his teacher to the Law, discipleship means an unmediated connection to the person of Jesus (that is, with that which is embodied by this person). While the student is concerned with becoming a teacher himself, discipleship is characterized by an insuperable qualitative difference from Jesus.

Jesus
++Lived life with His disciples
++Taught them by example.
This is our model: living like Christ in community as He forms us into Spirit-led, life- long learners and followers.
God does’t want us to just learn about him but be like him
What does it take to make a disciple?

Discipleship is a response to His call

The exclusivity of Jesus’ initiative in the call to discipleship accords with the great variety of people among the disciples. Because this circle was founded exclusively through Jesus’ call, no other social factors needed to surface: Indeed, antisocial factors in this circle could be overcome.
Hans Weder, “Disciple, Discipleship,” ed. David Noel Freedman, trans. Dennis Martin, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 208.

Jesus Initiates the call

It is
++An Invitation
++Not an expectation

We have a choice

Jesus said “Follow me”

Sometimes the call
++Is connected with a benefit (Mat 4:19, Mat 19:21)
Matthew 4:19 NKJV
19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 19:21 NKJV
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Sometimes the call
Is connected with a benefit (Mat 4:19, Mat 19:21)
++Is connected to a price to pay (Luke 14:26)
Luke 14:26 NKJV
26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
Sometimes the call
Is connected with a benefit (Mat 4:19, Mat 19:21)
Is connected to a price to pay (Luke 14:26)
++Stands alone (Mat 9:9)
Matthew 9:9 NKJV
9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

To follow Jesus, we must hear His call

Mark 8:34 NKJV
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Jesus is calling people to himself

Hebrews 1:1–2 NKJV
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

Jesus is God’s choice

Jesus
++Is his appointed heir of all things
++Is the vehicle of creation
John 1:1–4 NKJV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Colossians 1:17 NKJV
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
We must hear His call

To follow Jesus, we must count the cost

Luke 14:28–29 NKJV
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

To follow Jesus, take action

Mark 8:34 NKJV
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
He called the people
++To Himself
++With His disciple
This matter was for
++The general population
++His disciples
We must
++Desire him more
++Come after Him
++Deny ourself
++Take up our cross
++Follow Him

Will you answer the call

Matthew 19:16-27, 29

Matthew 19:19–27 NKJV
19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”
Matthew 19:29 NKJV
29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
Mark 8:34 NKJV
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
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