Sermon Tone Analysis

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.

Being 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

Being a disciple means that you are not your own.

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,

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.

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,

To exalt anything above God is idolatry.

The next point of being a disciple is,

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,

Paul again said in Romans 8:29

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,

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

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.

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

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,

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

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.