You might be a Christian if (3)

Good morning, CHURCH!

(Opening joke)

This 16-year-old teenager named J2 had recently passed his driving test and decided to ask his dad who was also a Pastor if there was any chance of him getting a car for Christmas, which was still several months away.

“You want a car for Christmas” said his father, “I tell you what I’ll do. If you can get your ‘C’ level grades up to ‘A’s and ‘B’s, study your bible and get your hair cut, I’ll consider the matter very seriously.”

A month later J2 went back to his father to show him his progress.

His dad said “I’m really impressed by your commitment to your studies. Your grades are excellent and the work you have put into your bible studies is very encouraging. However, I have to say I’m very disappointed that you haven’t had your hair cut yet.”

J2 was smart and never lost for a quick response. He said “Hey dad. In the course of my bible studies I’ve noticed that Moses, John the Baptist, Samson and even Jesus had long hair.”

J2 was sure that after that he’d be able to keep his long hair.

His dad responded, “Yes. I’m aware of that Moses, John the Baptist, Samson and even Jesus had long hair.”

“But in the course of your Bible studies, did you also notice that Moses, John, Samson and even Jesus walked everywhere that they went?”

Are you ready to be equipped today?

Let me see your Bibles.

Let’s go to the book of Luke 9:23 ESV for this week’s wisdom Vaccination.

This Week’s Wisdom Vaccination Luke 9:23 ESV

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

The cross was an instrument of violent and painful execution.

To “take up your cross” was to carry the horizontal beam of the cross out to the site of execution, usually past a mob of yelling people.

In rhetorical style, Jesus describes what all true disciples must be ready for if they plan to follow him.

-They must be ready to face literal scorn on the road to eventual crucifixion.

-From the moment of faith believers must count their lives forfeited for the sake of the kingdom.

We are in week 3 of the series titled:

You might be a Christian if

In the first two weeks of the series I told how the series title was somewhat inspired by comedian Jeff Foxworthy who used to make jokes about being a redneck.

If you hear that the stock market crashes and you ask if anybody was seriously injured, you might be a redneck.

If your new to this series, we are pointing out some things that may give us or others, indicators that you might be a Christian/follower of Christ.

Today’s message title is:

“You might be a Christian if”

you are a disciple of Christ

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary defines discipleship as the people in the NT who stood in a special and intensive relationship with Jesus during his earthly ministry.

Ask yourself, am I in a special and intensive relationship with Jesus?

Listen to what Jesus said to the people who claimed they believed in him.

John 8:31-32 ESV

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

This word used for abide means to remain in the same place over a period of time or to stay.

Basically Jesus told those who followed him that if you stay in my word, you are truly my disciples.

And that’s when you’ll have an intimate relationship with the truth, and that truth will set you free.

One of the #1 area’s that I see confessing Christian’s struggle, is in the area of identity.

A lack of true identity of who you are in Christ and who you are to God, will make it hard for you to walk out this Christian life.

So, being a disciple is one of the sure fire ways you’d know that you might be a Christian.

Point #1

If you are being discipled (you might be a Christian)

Matthew 8:18-22 ESV

Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

On the surface, this sounds really cruel.

But if we dig a little into culture, we can get a better understanding of what was going on here.

Jesus of course would know that one of an eldest son’s most basic responsibilities (in both Greek and Jewish cultures) was his father’s burial.

It has recently been shown that what is in view here instead is the secondary burial: a year after the first burial, after the flesh had rotted off the bones.

The son would return to rebury the bones in a special box in a slot in the tomb’s wall.

The son in this narrative could possibly be asking for as much as a year’s delay.

As a disciple this means that the work of the Kingdom is priority in our lives, but it doesn’t mean that we disregard our family duties.

But we don’t use family duties as an excuse either.

Jesus even talked to his follower’s concerning family.

Luke 14:25-29 ESV

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

The sure offensiveness of saying that you need to hate your family, in a society where honor of parents was considered virtually the highest obligation and family was usually their greatest joy.

This word hate didn’t mean what it does in our society today. It basically refers to loving less.

It still was a radical statement for Jesus to make but he’s not saying that we need to hate our family.

He’s saying that in order to follow him, we have to love him more than we even love our blood family.

Point #2

If you are discipling others (you might be a Christian)

2 Timothy 2:2 ESV

and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Paul wanted Timothy to pass on truths of the gospel message to reliable men so they could in turn do the same.

The tradition was and still is that we are always passing on some message to others.

1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Pretty simple verse of scripture.

Be a disciple of mines as I am a disciple of Christ.

One interesting thing about this verse is that when chapters and verses were put in to help us find scriptures more quickly, they started chapter 11 with this verse, but it more likely ends chapter 10.

1 Corinthians 10:31-33 ESV

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Apostle Paul doesn’t want us to allow trivial religious differences trip us up. Or some would say the non-essentials.

Point #3

If you are accountable to other Christians (you might be a Christian)

Genesis 4:9 ESV

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?”

No, he didn’t keep his brother, he killed his brother.

When you’re not accountable to other believers you are dangerous because you are left up to your own decisions on what’s good and what’s evil.

And only God is equipped to handle that task.

When the Lord God said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother” it mirrored his question to Abel’s father.

Genesis 3:9 ESV

But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

You might want to be accountable to another believer because once God asks where you are, it’s usually too late.

Proverbs 27:17 ESV

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

That sounds a little bit like accountability to me.

Luke 17:3 ESV

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,

If you love your brother or sister, you will be willing to do this to keep them from going in the wrong direction.

And if you love yourself, you will be willing to have someone in your life who will do this for you.

(Closing illustration)

If you’re watching online or here in the room, I have a very important question to ask you.

What is Holy Spirit saying to you right now?