Becoming a Disciple

BECOMING A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST

(Adapted from Campus Crusade for Christ’s New Life Training Cirriculum)

1.                  What It Means to Be a Disciple

            "THE ESSENCE OF DISCIPLESHIP IS OUR RIGHT RESPONSE TO GOD'S CALL ON OUR LIVES.  DISCIPLESHIP IS A MATTER OF BEING WILLING TO BECOME ALL THAT GOD WANTS US TO BE."

·        Disciples are learners.

                        "THE GREEK WORD FOR 'DISCIPLE' IS 'MATHETES,' WHICH MEANS 'LEARNER.'  DISCIPLES ARE THOSE WITH A HEART FOR GOD AND A TEACHABLE ATTITUDE.  DISCIPLES ARE READY TO RECEIVE WHATEVER JESUS HAS TO OFFER; HIS FORGIVENESS, LOVE, DIRECTION AND COMMANDMENTS."

                        ~ They follow Jesus and learn from Him (Matthew 11:28-30).

                                    "DISCIPLES COME TO JESUS AS THE ONE WHO WILL MEET THEIR EVERY NEED. HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL GIVE THEM 'REST' IN THE MIDST OF LIFE'S BURDENS (v. 28).  DISCIPLES ARE THOSE WHO TAKE JESUS' YOKE UPON THEM, LINKING THEIR DIRECTION AND PRIORITIES IN LIFE WITH THOSE OF JESUS, SHARING IN HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY (v.29).  DISCIPLES ARE THOSE WHO 'LEARN FROM JESUS.'  DISCIPLES' ENTIRE LIVES REVOLVE AROUND LEARNING, GROWING AND CHANGING MORE AND MORE INTO THE IMAGE OF JESUS CHRIST (v.29).

                        ~ Discipleship is a life-long process (Philippians 3:12-14).

                                    "DISCIPLES ARE LEARNERS FOR A LIFETIME.  WE WILL NEVER FULLY ARRIVE AS PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPLETE REFLECTIONS OF JESUS CHRIST.  BUT DISCIPLES KEEP MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION, LEARNING FROM JESUS THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES."

·        Disciples are in the process of becoming like their Master.

~ When fully trained, disciples are like their Master (Luke 6:40).

                        "JUST AS STUDENTS DESIRE TO BE LIKE THEIR TEACHER, SO DISCIPLES WANT TO BECOME LIKE THEIR MASTER, THE LORD JESUS.  TOWARD THIS END WE ARE TO STRIVE AS WE GROW AND ARE TRAINED.  JESUS' ULTIMATE DESIRE FOR HIS DISCIPLES IS THAT THEY BE LIKE HIM."

~ Disciples of Jesus increasingly reflect His character, conduct and commitments (Ephesians 4:13).

                                    "AS WE BECOME MORE AND MORE LIKE OUR MASTER, WE WILL INCREASINGLY REFLECT THE LORD JESUS IN ALL THAT WE ARE AND DO.  DISCIPLESHIP IS A COMMITMENT OF OUR ENTIRE LIVES TOWARD THE END OF BECOMING ENTIRELY LIKE JESUS."

2.                  Some Essential Characteristics of Disciples of Jesus.

            "THERE ARE MANY THINGS DISCIPLES DO BY WAY OF ACTIVITIES.  WE WILL LOOK AT THESE IN DETAIL IN A LATER MESSAGE.  IN THIS POINT WE WANT TO DISCUSS ONLY ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DISCIPLES, TRAITS WHICH DISTINGUISH DISCIPLES OF JESUS FROM THOSE WHO ARE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT FOLLOWING HIM.  THESE ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL WE DO BY WAY OF DISCIPLESHIP ACTIVITIES.  WHO WE ARE IS THE BASIS FOR ALL WE DO."

·        Disciples of Jesus are growing in their love for God and others (Matthew 22:36-40).

                        Matthew 22:36, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?  37 Jesus replied:" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  38 This is the first and greatest commandment.  39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." 

                        ~ God calls us to love Him with our whole heart, soul and mind (v. 37).

                                    "THE ASPIRATION, PURSUIT AND COMPELLING COMMITMENT OF DISCIPLES IS TO LOVE GOD WITH THEIR ENTIRE BEING.  OUR LOVE FOR GOD DETERMINES THE QUESTION OF THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST.  TO LOVE GOD IS TO SUBMIT OUR ENTIRE LIFE TO HIM.  WE DO THIS NOT OUT OF OBLIGATION, BUT IN RESPONSE TO HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US.  OUR LOVE FOR GOD IS THE SOURCE OUT OF WHICH FLOWS ALL OUR SPECIFIC ACTS OF OBEDIENCE UNDER THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST."

                        ~ God calls us to love others as ourselves (v. 39).

                                    "1 JOHN 4:19-21 SAYS THAT OUR LOVE FOR GOD IS MANIFESTED IN OUR LOVE FOR OTHERS.  IN FACT, WE CANNOT SAY THAT WE LOVE GOD UNLESS WE LOVE OTHERS ALSO."

                        ~ These two commands are the foundation for the Christian life (v. 40).

                                    "LOVE FOR GOD AND OTHERS IS THE PRIMARY MOTIVATION FOR ALL WE DO AS Jesus' DISCIPLES."

·        Disciples of Jesus submit to Christ as Lord of their lives (Luke 14:25-33).

                        Luke 14:25-33, "Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them He said.  26'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters‑‑yes, even his own life‑‑he cannot be my disciple.  27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.  28Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it.  29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him.  30Saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.  31"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand.  32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.  33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.'" 

                        Jesus is to be Lord of:

                        ~ Our relationships (v. 26).

                                    "LOVE FOR OUR FAMILY DIMS IN COMPARISON TO OUR LOVE FOR JESUS.  JESUS DEMANDS NOTHING LESS THAN FIRST PLACE IN OUR LIVES, EVEN TAKING PRIORITY OVER FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS."

                        ~ Our possessions (v.33).

                                    "Jesus CALLS HIS DISCIPLES TO SUBMIT ALL THAT THEY OWN TO HIS LORDSHIP."

                        ~ Our total selves (vv. 26,27).

                                    "Jesus WANTS TO BE LORD NOT JUST OF OUR POSSESSIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS, BUT OF OUR ENTIRE LIVES.  HE ASKS THAT NOTHING BE HELD BACK."

                                    "DISCIPLES ARE PEOPLE WHO DO WHAT JESUS CHRIST WANTS THEM TO DO.  YOU CANNOT BE A DISCIPLE IF YOU ARE NOT OBEYING HIM AS A WAY OF LIFE."

·        Disciples of Jesus seek the kingdom of God (Luke 9:57-62).

~ The priority of the kingdom (v. 60).

                                    "Jesus TOLD THIS MAN THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD LAID CLAIM TO HIS LIFE EVEN OVER THE LEGITIMATE OBLIGATIONS HE HAD TO HIS FAMILY."

                        ~ The necessity of single-mindedness (v. 62).

                                    "OUR PURSUIT OF GOD'S KINGDOM DEMANDS OUR SINGLE-MINDED COMMITMENT.  ONCE AGAIN, EVEN THE LEGITIMATE DESIRE TO SERVE OUR FAMILY MUST BE SUBMITTED TO JESUS' CALL TO SERVE HIM AS DISCIPLES."

·        Disciples of Jesus are internally motivated to follow and serve God:

~ Because of who God is and what God has done for us (Romans 5:6-8; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Hebrews 12:28,29).

                                    "THE MORE WE KNOW JESUS, THE MORE WE WILL HAVE A PICTURE OF WHO GOD IS.  THE MORE WE MEDITATE ON WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR US, THE MORE WE WILL SERVE HIM OUT OF THANKFUL HEARTS.  JESUS WANTS US TO SERVE HIM OUT OF LOVE FOR HIM.

            ~ Because of the eternal significance of ministering to others (1 Corinthians 15:58).

                                    "Jesus CALLS US TO A MINISTRY OF ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE.  OUR LABOR AS DISCIPLES IS NEVER IN VAIN.  WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE USED OF GOD TO SEE LIVES CHANGED FOR ETERNITY.  AS DISCIPLES, WE ARE INVESTING OUR LIVES IN THE TWO THINGS THAT COUNT, THE WORD OF GOD AND PEOPLE."

3.                  Evaluating Your Commitment to Be Jesus' Disciples.

            "AS YOU HAVE READ THESE SCRIPTURES, WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT GOD IS SAYING TO YOU, AS THOSE WHOM HE CALLS TO BE HIS DISCIPLES.  HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU APPLY THIS MATERIAL PERSONALLY.  TAKE A MOMENT NOW TO CONSIDER THEM."

·        What does it mean for me to be a disciple of Jesus?

·        What might it cost me to follow Jesus?

·        How closely are my priorities aligned with God's call to seek His kingdom?

·        Do I desire what Jesus wants for me?

·        What reservations do I have regarding His call to be His disciple?