Disciple (1)

Intro

Lord willing, I hope to continue on with our study in the Gospel According to Matthew. If you would please, turn to Matthew chapter 4, starting in verse 18.

We began looking at this passage last week and examined the calling of the first disciples to full time ministry.

That account of Jesus calling disciples I think warrants a closer look at what is a disciple and what does it mean to make disciples.

Matthew 4:18–22 AV

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

There are many false ideas, or errors in understanding, of what it means to be a disciple and make disciples. Modern-American Christianity has adopted certain doctrines that have warped the true Biblical view.

This particular topic, of what is a disciple and what is discipleship, is something that the Lord has been laying upon my heart in recent months.

It actually is something that has been a big issue for me personally since my conversion— but at times the Lord brings it to me fresh and anew, often with some conviction about my short-comings in this area.

Growing up

Conversion

Marriage

Now, let’s go back to our reading in Matthew.

Andrew, Peter, James, and John, prior to the passage we just read, were disciples of Jesus Christ. As part of this calling of full time service by our Lord to these men, he tells them they will be fisher of men. Together with the Great Commission in Matthew 28, the Lord is instructing, not just these men, but all followers of Jesus Christ, to go and make disciples.

So we have two things here that we need to examine as part of all of this. One is “Being a Disciple” and the other is “Making Disciples”.

Lord willing, today we’ll begin looking at “Being a Disciple”.

Being a Disciple

What is a disciple?

The simple answer is:

A learning and obedient follower of Jesus Christ.

When the Bible refers to true disciples, it is referring to those converted believers that follow, learn, copy, and obey their Master, Jesus Christ.

The Bible actually tells us that there are two types of disciples.

The unconverted false disciples, and the converted true disciples.

The unconverted- seek gain and self righteous works

The true disciple will follow Christ, learn the teachings of the Scriptures and obey them, and they will also seek righteousness and godliness while living them out.

False disciples will not truly follow— but they will keep close, and often not for long. They may even join a church, participate in the ordinances, and go through all the motions of being a true believer.

Turn to: this is after Jesus was teaching on eating flesh and drinking blood.

John 6:60–71 (AV)

Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, ‘Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, ‘Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.’ From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Judas is the greatest example of a false disciple. He followed Jesus closely, being one of the 12 Apostles. He was a witness to things the Lord was doing and teaching. For all appearance sake, he was a true follower of Jesus— so convincing was he, that when the issue of a betrayal arose at the Last Supper, the other Apostles did not immediately identify him.

A true disciple who experiences God’s grace will not turn away. They know that Jesus is the Saviour of their souls, the Son of the Living God.

Who else would they turn to? Once a believer is awakened to God’s amazing grace why would they want to look anywhere else. Not only that but God’s grace, and the work of his Holy Spirit, will preserve the true believer and give them perseverance to the end— Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

False disciples will not truly learn nor obey the Word of God, but rather, as a habit make constant issues against the Word of Truth and Pure Doctrine.

1 Timothy 6:2–5 (AV)

… These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

False disciples have a false godliness. By their works, by their own prideful knowledge, they believe they gain godliness— these things are apart from the works of Christ and his Holy Spirit in them. These false disciples want others to follow them in their doctrines, and they will cause strife in the minds of true believers. Paul said to Timothy in the next epistle,

2 Timothy 3:1–9 (AV)

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

You will know them by their fruits— in the Lord’s timing, false disciples will be manifested. Remember, we are to keep an eye out for wolves in sheep's clothing— they may look like sheep, but they are seeking out to destroy.

We must pray for discernment to identify these false disciples, those ravenous wolves with their mischievous ways and their false teachings.

What is a true disciple?

The converted- the elect chosen out of this world, called, and converted

We have already identified some things associated with true disciples in contrast to the false ones, and Lord willing, we’ll see some more characteristics as we continue on.

But, first we need to ask: When does being a disciple begin?

Elder Gilbert Beebe wrote,

“… this being the case with all who are born of God, they are all so far qualified to be disciples of Christ; but, without that heavenly birth, which brings forth in us this new and spiritual life, which hates the flesh, crucifies it with its affections and lusts, none can be truly Christ’s disciples. That new and spiritual birth is indispensable to discipleship.

This birth manifests the subjects of it as the children of God and heirs of immortal glory. But discipleship signifies not only that we are born of God, but also that we are taught and led by his Spirit, that we are not only children, but obedient children. Hence Christ adds, “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.””

Middletown, N. Y., February 15, 1857. Gilbert Beebe, vol 3, pg 243

The new birth sets us apart in this world— it is a form of sanctification.

There are two types of sanctification:

One is heavenly and eternal. The other is wordly and temporal— but with everlasting consequences.

The heavenly and eternal sanctification is found in the Covenant of Grace. Before the foundation of the world God determined to set apart, to save, a people to himself— which are the elect, a people that he predestined to do good works. These people, whom God determined to adopt as his own children, would receive remission for the sins, be redeemed, and be reconciled to God, by the sacrifice of the Second Person of the thrice Holy, Triune Godhead— Jesus Christ, who would take on flesh, live a perfect and sinless life (which no human can do), die on a cross on Calvary where he would take the wrath of God that sinners deserve— he would there make an atonement for sins. He would die, be buried, and after three days raise himself up from death to a resurrected state.

The Grace for sinners that Jesus secured by his death, burial, and resurrection is applied to lost sinners in regeneration, made known to them in conversion, and completed in them upon the resurrection— whereby they will be made completely and perfectly holy.

Elect believers have been set apart, or sanctified, in eternity to the purposes of God in the Covenant of Grace.

The other form of sanctification is wordly and temporal. And by worldly I do not mean sinfully worldly, but rather, in this world in contrast to heaven. There are two parts to this. One is that when a person is converted they are made a new creation, they have been born again. They are different from what they were before— they were dead, and now they are alive. As part of God’s calling, we are called to forsake sin and forsake the things of this world— things which before we served. Regeneration sets us free form the bondage of sin.

When a person is born again, everything changes. By the very nature of God’s regenerating and converting work we are separated from our old lives and from the rest of the world.

That leads to the second part, a continual sanctification in the life of the believer that conforms them to the image of Jesus Christ, where they become more godly and more righteous— not of their own doing, but by the work of the Holy Spirit in them.

The first evidence of that is a profession of faith resulting from a conversion experience. The second evidence is obedience to the commands of Christ in Baptism and then uniting to a body of believers in a local church. The third evidence is the manifestation of the fruits of the Spirit and godly living— reflecting Jesus in our lives.

It is this type of sanctification that we are here looking deeper into, because being a disciple is part of that sanctification process— it is the process by which we learn what true godliness is and learn more about our God, to live as he desires.

We have looked at a basic definition of what a disciple is, now what follows is some of the core points of being a disciple.

You are not your own

Being a disciple means that you are not your own.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 AV

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

You were bought with a price— you were redeemed by the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 5:9 (AV)

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Romans 14:7–8 AV

For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

We are the Lord’s, we are his possession. Knowing that should shape our entire life. It should drive us both in to the Word of God and in to prayer for instructions on how to live as the Redeemer of our souls has commanded.

That leads me to the next point of being a disciple.

Follow, learn, obey, copy

I said at the beginning that the most basic definition of a disciple is a learning and obedient follower of Jesus Christ.

We must first follow Christ. When we are called, we must take up, forsaking all, and follow him. It is in following him that we learn from him. And the things that we are taught and the things which are commanded, we obey. God has already given us the ability to be obedient in making us a new creature. He gives us his Holy Spirit enabling us to be obedient. In that obedience and by the working of the Holy Spirit-- godliness, righteousness, and holiness are worked out within us. In that we copy Jesus as we are molded into his image.

Paul says in Colossians 3, after telling believers to put off sinful ways of the old man,

Colossians 3:10 AV

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Paul again said in Romans 8:29

Romans 8:29 AV

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Conformed to the image of Jesus. Not conformed to the mind of this sinful world, but bearing the image of the Son of God. What does that look like? You have to be in the Word of God to learn. And reading is not enough, we must study it, meditate upon it, and commit to our hearts and minds. And, the things that we learn we must obey.

Jesus said,

John 14:15 AV

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

The Apostle John tells us in chapter 1 of his Gospel that Jesus is the light. Jesus, testifying this of himself says in John 8:12

John 8:12 (AV)

… I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Paul, continuing on with this writes in

Ephesians 5:8–11 AV

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

If we are to walk as children of the light, then we must walk as Jesus Christ who is the light.

If we are to walk as him, then we must deny ourselves.

Matthew 16:24 AV

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

We must deny sin and sinful desires, we must deny the lusts of the world, we must deny ungodly and unfruitful works, we must deny unrighteousness and our own works of righteousness, we must deny darkness and those who follow after it, and we must deny anything that replaces God in our lives.

We take up our cross and bear the cost of being a follower of Jesus. And when you deny the darkness, and embrace the light, there is going to be a cost to it that you are going to have to bear.

That brings me to the next point of Being a Disciple.

Count the cost

Please turn to:

Luke 14:25–33 (AV)

And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me (that is those who come in grace), and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters (not a true hatred of the heart towards these [as that would be sin], but this is a position in the heart— as preferring them above Christ, or loved more than him— if those relationships stand in the way of being a disciple, then they are to be forsaken) , yea, and his own life also (this is denying self, recognizing you are not your own, and be willing to give your life— to die— in the name of Christ— this is loving Christ even more than your own life), he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross (suffer torments, afflictions, and persecutions, even death. And, denying the things previously mentioned) , and come after me (follow him and his ways, copy him, be conformed in him image), cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Some mistake this passage for meaning that you count the cost as part of a decision to get saved and that is a great error. As a believer, that has experienced grace, you must count the cost of following Christ. Not because you use that as a pros and cons list for deciding to follow Christ, but rather count the cost of following him compared to the price he paid to secure God’s saving grace for you. And, know what it means to forsake all for following and serving the Savior.

The foundation for a believer is Jesus Christ. True disciples will build their lives upon him. Forsaking themselves and the world. What is this going to produce? Potentially a loss of family and friends. Possibly loss of employment, home, and possessions. There could come loss of freedoms and liberties. And there could come great afflictions, torments, persecution, and even loss of life.

Paul said in 2 Tim 3:12

2 Timothy 3:12 AV

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Jesus said,

John 15:18 AV

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

In all of these things, God’s grace is more than sufficient, it is more than enough for us, no matter what comes our way. It is what keeps us, preservers us, and ensures that we shall endure unto the end- finishing our course with joy (Acts 20:24).

Turn with me to

Philippians 3:7–14 AV

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Count the cost of losing all for the sake of Jesus Christ and his Gospel.

And examine, what in your heart do you count more precious than Christ.

The next point of Being a Disciple concerns works and fruits.

Works and Fruits

The Apostle Paul wrote,

Titus 3:8 AV

This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

There are many good works that are given in the Scriptures, too many to list at this time— that is why it is important to keep learning the contents of the Word.

James does give us few of those works.

Turn to,

James 2:14–26 AV

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Feed the poor, clothe those in need, take care of widows and the fatherless, and many more. Faith in Christ will produce a disciple who is full of the love and grace of God that flows through their works.

Faith and works will produce fruit.

Fruit is also produced in the believer by the Holy Spirit, such as we read in Galatians.

Galatians 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

This fruit is different from that fruit that is produced from faith and works. This fruit is purely of the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer, and is evidence of God’s sanctifying work— which we briefly touched on earlier.

Fruit that comes forth from living out ones faith and the fruit of the Holy Spirit, are evidence to true disciples of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, Mt 7:16-20

Matthew 7:15–20 AV

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

The next point of Being a Disciple is,

Maturity

Disciples should be maturing in their faith— growing from a newborn on milk, to a maturing adult on meatier food.

1 Peter 2:2–3 AV

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

This is echoed by Paul in

1 Corinthians 3:1–3 AV

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Spiritual maturity in Christ means that there is growth whereby a believer is being molded more and more in to the image of Jesus. Disciples who are learning and enlightened by the Holy Spirit, will have spiritual growth— moving from the pure milk of the simplicity of the Gospel to meatier in-depth doctrines and the deeper things of God.

Turn to

Hebrews 5:11–14 (AV)

Of whom (which is Christ and the doctrines prior to this verse) we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers (that is disciples who are discipling other disciples— as a disciple you should be teaching others— we’ll look at that more later, Lord willing), ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Every born again believer should be growing in grace. There should be spiritual maturity. Now everyone is not going to grow spiritually at the same rate. Some may also stagnate, at times not growing at all— often because of sin in their life. That stalled or slow growth is what the writer of Hebrews was talking about— it should not be happening, believers need to grow. We should be growing beyond just a conversion experience.

And this is critical, because spiritually mature Christians produce spiritually mature Christians— through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Close

There are more things to look at concerning being a disciple, much more than we have time today for.

This is a vital study for the child of God. Are we learning, following, obeying, growing in maturity— being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ?

We need to constantly be examining ourselves to see if we are living as true and faithful disciples.

Pray that the Lord would give us all a greater understanding of these truths, and then apply them to our individual lives and to our congregation as a whole.

What areas of this are we getting right? What areas are we deficient in, or not fulfilling?

I’ll close with this passage, John chapter 15, starting in verse 1— turn there if you would please.

John 15:1–8 AV

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

May the good Lord bless us to bear good fruit and glorify him in our lives.

Lord willing, next week I would like to continue looking at these things of “being a disciple” and “making disciples”.