Disciple (2)
The Gospel According to Matthew • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro
Intro
Lord willing, I hope to continue on this morning with the topic I started last week that comes from 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 a couple of weeks ago, and in it, the calling of the first disciples to full time ministry. As part of that I felt that led to do an overview of what is a disciple and what does it mean to make disciples— which is discipleship.
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.
Being a Disciple
Being a Disciple
What is a disciple?
What is a disciple?
If you recall from our last meeting, 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.
As we read that passage in Matthew, there are two things that we can take from Jesus calling his disciples. One is “Being a Disciple” and the other is “Making Disciples”.
We began last week at looking what is means “Being a Disciple.”
We looked at the Scriptures to see what is a true disciple verses a false one.
Lord willing, today we’ll continue looking at “Being a Disciple”, after which I would like to examine what is means to “Make a Disciple”, but that will probably have to be in another message.
We have looked at some basic descriptions of what a disciple is, now we will take a look at some of the core points of being a disciple. I don’t intend to go super in-depth with these points, but rather highlight what are some of the characteristics of a disciple as given to us in the Word of God.
You are not your own
You are not your own
Being a disciple means that you are not your own.
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.
The elect are bought with a price— they are redeemed by the shed 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;
A few chapters later, Paul writes,
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.
Because we are not our own, our will needs to be subject to the one who has redeemed us.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
All of those things that Jesus listed— prophesying, casting out demons, many wonderful works— are from people whom he did not know. They were not of the redeemed children of God. They were not his, they were not of those whom he died for and called to follow him. For those who follow him will seek the will and do the works of the one who redeemed them.
It should not be our will that dictates our lives, but rather the Father’s will. A truly born again follower of Jesus Christ will desire to do the will of the Father— and by the working of the Holy Spirit they will do it.
Jesus, our model to follow in this, said in his prayer before his arrest,
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
To exalt anything above God is idolatry.
The next point of being a disciple is,
Follow, learn, obey, copy
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”.
To be a disciple then, 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 and with the indwelling of his Holy Spirit.
In that obedience and by the working of the Holy Spirit-- godliness, righteousness, and holiness are worked out within us. In those things we copy Jesus as we are molded into his image— by his Spirit.
Paul says in Colossians 3, after telling believers to put off sinful ways of the old man,
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
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 instead, bearing the image of the Son of God. What does that look like? First, you have to be in the Word of God and in prayer to learn. But, reading is not enough, we must study it, meditate upon it, and commit to our hearts and minds. And then, the things that we learn we must obey.
Jesus said,
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.
Please turn to Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 8.
Paul, continuing on with this writes in
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. Paul wrote in that passage that now are ye light in the Lord— we are to be a copy of him in our lives— reflecting that light. Paul continues, walk as children of the light— we walk as our Lord Jesus, we are to copy him as the Word commands.
If we are to walk as him, then we must deny ourselves.
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
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
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
He did not say professing Christians there, he said those that will live godly in Christ Jesus. Those are the true disciples of Jesus— those whom are searching out, and living out, by the power of the Holy Spirit, a life of godliness, holiness, and righteousness— those are the people that the world is going to hate.
Jesus said,
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
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. God’s grace is infinitely more precious than anything else— and it is certainly worth forsaking all things.
Daily, we should examine what in our heart that we count more precious than Christ and flee from it.
The next point of Being a Disciple is
Love
Love
Jesus said in
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Please turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 1.
Paul writes here concerning charity- which can be interpreted as love— in the Greek it is agape, meaning love. This love contains affection— it is a love that demonstrates itself, it is a love that acts out.
1 Corinthians 13:1–8 (KJV)
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth...
Look down to verse 13,
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
The greatest of these is love, a love that is evident.
John Gill wrote concerning the first verse:
… the grace of love is here meant, even love to God, and love to Christ, and love to the saints, which is a grace implanted in regeneration by the spirit of God; and which, if a person is destitute of, as he may, who has never so great a share of learning, or knowledge of the languages, or even the extraordinary gift of speaking with divers tongues (languages); all his learning is but an empty sound, his eloquence, his diversity of speech, is but like the man’s nightingale, a voice and nothing else; or as the apostle here says, supposing it was his own case, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal…
(John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 2, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 704.)
Paul wrote a few chapters later,
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
Anathema means separated from and accursed. Those that are accursed are to be separated from the body of believers. A person who does not love the Lord Jesus Christ is to be rejected; and if a member admittedly love not Christ they are to be excommunicated.
Marana-tha in that verse means “our Lord comes”, referencing the coming of the Lord in judgement. Not only is the a warning, but it shows the severity of not loving Jesus Christ.
Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
We love him, because he first loved us.
He loves us and calls us to follow him. We love Jesus by following him, by setting our hearts and minds upon him, by casting our cares upon him, and by communicating with him in prayer and through his Word. We love him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength.
As we grow in grace and love our minds increasingly turn upon him— where our thoughts are more upon him than the things of this world. And in that our affections are turned toward him.
In loving him we seek his thoughts, the desires of his heart, his will. As followers we should desire to know every thing about him.
He loved us from eternity and died for us— for someone to love us that much we should certainly want to know everything about him.
A disciple, in loving Jesus, will want a real relationship with him. They will want to be around other believers who have experienced God’s love and grace— those beloved saints that Jesus gave his life for. This is part of the commandment to love others as ourselves. Lord willing, we will take a closer look at that love of the Brethren in the next sermon.
A loving disciple will also be zealous for the good works that God has prepared for them. With eagerness, they seek to please God and glorify him in all areas of their life. .
That brings us to the next point of Being a Disciple.
Works and Fruits
Works and Fruits
The Apostle Paul wrote,
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,
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Go to chapter 2, verse 14.
James continues
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, meet peoples physical needs, and many more. Faith in Christ will produce a disciple who is full of the love and grace of God that motivates and flows through their works.
Faith and works will produce fruit. Our works, which flow from the grace of God, are profitable to man— whereby, God’s grace becomes evident and and he is glorified.
There is also the Fruit of the Spirit that is produced in the believer by the Holy Spirit, such as we read in Galatians.
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, which profits others. This fruit in Galatians 5, being of the spiritual nature, is the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer and is evidence of God’s grace— his justification, regeneration, and sanctification.
Fruit that comes forth from living out ones faith and the fruit of the Holy Spirit, are both evidences of God’s grace in true disciples of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, Mt 7:16-20
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.
By ones fruits they will be proven to be either true or false disciples.
Please turn to John chapter 15, verse 1.
Jesus tells us here about producing fruit— which can only be done if we are united to him, as we cannot bear good fruit without him.
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.
True disciples are united to Christ, they produce fruit by him, and they grown in him.
The next point of Being a Disciple is,
Close
Close
There are more things to look at concerning being a disciple, much more than we have time today for. I am certainly not being exhaustive in my points, or my descriptions of them— but as the Lord moves us through his Word these things will become clearer and clearer.
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.
May the good Lord bless us to be good and faithful disciples who bear good fruit and glorify him in every area of our lives.
Lord willing, next week I would like to continue looking at these things of “being a disciple” and “making disciples”.