Do you really want to be a disciple?
Disciplines of a disciple • Sermon • Submitted
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· 28 viewsWillingness to pay the cost is a requirement for those who want to be disciples of Jesus.
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When I have traveled through several Latin America countries, I have noticed many constructions in state of abandonment, usually second floors. People started them with good intentions, but they did not consider how much was going to cost them. They run out of money and abandoned the project.
When Jesus called the crowds to become His disciples, He warned them to consider the cost before making the decision to follow Him. These were His words:
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In other words, Jesus was telling them: Are you sure you want to be my disciple? Are you willing to pay the cost of discipleship?
It sounds exciting to be called “disciple of Christ”, but the problem is that many Christians are like those who want to lose weight without changing their diet or without working out.
The crowds were attracted to Jesus because He fed them, healed them, helped them, and taught them; but Jesus knew that most were temporary, emotional followers.
In order to be His disciple, you must be willing to pay the cost that discipleship requires. What is the cost?
Loving Jesus above all.
Loving Jesus above all.
“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.
Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them,
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Jesus must be your number one love.
Jesus must be your number one love.
Jesus is God incarnated! “The Word became flesh!”
The greatest commandment given in the Old Testament and repeated in the N.T. states:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Deu 6:5
Since Jesus is God, a disciple must love Him above all, with all his being, mind and heart.
Such love demands that, if you have to choose between pleasing Jesus or pleasing others, you will choose Jesus and do whatever He says.
If you are not willing to put Him in first place, you’re not ready to be His disciple.
Putting your family in second place.
Putting your family in second place.
One of the most confusing verses of the N.T. is precisely this one:
“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.
Luke 14:26
If God is love, How could expect you to hate your own family? It would be contradictory to His character. Therefore, there must be an explication to the phrase.
The explication is that this is comparison of loves. Your love for Jesus should make your love for other as hate.
If you are not willing to love Jesus more than anyone, your are not ready to be His disciple.
Willingness to suffer or die for Jesus.
Willingness to suffer or die for Jesus.
“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Luke 14:27
The cross was for suffering, not for decoration around the neck or on the earth. It was an instrument of death!
Let’s remember that a disciple is a soldier in Jesus’ Army.
We are soldiers in Jesus’ army.
We are soldiers in Jesus’ army.
No one is not willing to die for his king or country should be recruited as soldier. Soldiers go to war to risk his life in combat. They know it is their highest call!
Talking about carrying the cross, Jesus also told them:
Talking about Jesus told His soldiers:
“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
Mat 10:39
Willing to suffer for His cause.
Willing to suffer for His cause.
Jesus’ invitation to follow Him was not an invitation to vacation or easy life. Answering His invitation required them to make a hard decision, a decision to life commitment, a decision to suffer it was necessary.
He warned them, saying,
“But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
You must be even willing to suffer from your own family’s hand:
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
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Giving up all your possessions.
Giving up all your possessions.
“So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.
Those words must have shaken at least those who had means.
To the rich man who came to inquire about salvation and claim he was obedient to the commandments, Jesus said,
Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.
Mar 10:21
Giving up our possessions means acknowledging Him as the owner.
Acknowledging Him as the owner.
Acknowledging Him as the owner.
Are we servants or masters? The master is the owner; and Jesus is the Master.
When we surrender our wealth to Him, we give proof that wealth (mammon) is not longer our God.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
A disciple knows that God is not only His master, but also the Creator of everything and, as such, the owner of everything.
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.
Paul renounced to all he had for the sake of Christ:
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Phil 3:7
Moses left all the treasures of Egypt because he consider the reproach of Jesus greater than riches, for he was looking to the reward.
Using the possessions for His kingdom.
Using the possessions for His kingdom.
In His grace, God gave us a promotion: from slaves to stewards/managers. He has entrusted us with His riches.
The job description of a steward is to use the owner’s money to the benefit of the owner’s company, estate, or kingdom.
A disciple must be a faithful steward of God’s money:
In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.
not like the unrighteous one mentioned in one of the parables; the one who was squandering his master’s possessions. His master called him to give an accounting of his management and fired him.
1 Cor 4:2
not like the unrighteous one mentioned in one of the parables.
The unrighteous steward was squandering his master’s possessions.
If you do not give up all your possessions, you cannot be Jesus’ disciple.
Love Jesus above all, be willing to suffer or die for Him, and give up all your possessions to Him.
The cost is high, but the honor and reward are higher.