Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Christian Basics 2. Please read Luke’s gospel. Discipleship
Study 2. Becoming A Disciple of Jesus
We have seen in our previous study in John's gospel, that the Lord Jesus brought these terms together: believe ("For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." –John 3:16) which is similar to receive ("But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God," –John 1:12) and follow ("Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." –John 8:12)
In its general use, the Greek word for disciple denotes a person "who directs his mind to something," as a learner or pupil. In the New Testament, the word indicates those who have attached themselves to Jesus as Master. It "always implies the existence of a personal attachment which shapes the whole life of the one described as a disciple, and which in its particularity leaves no doubt as to who is deploying the formative power." After the book of Acts, the most common word used for a Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. The idea of follower involves the idea of personal relationship. When you became a Christian, you entered into a personal relationship with God. The greatest thing you can have in life is to be someone who not only knows about God, but also knows God personally. Being a follower, or disciple of Jesus means you enter into a new experience where your whole life has a new centre around which it flows. No longer are you living a self-centred egotistic life, you have begun a new life where Jesus Christ is the centre of that life, ane everything else revolves around Him.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
A true disciple of Jesus Christ is one who loves Him, learnsfrom Him, and is loyal to Him alone.
John Stott : "He (Jesus) never lowered his standards or modified his conditions to make his call more readily acceptable. He asked his first disciples, and he has asked every disciple since, to give him their thoughtful and total commitment. Nothing less than this will do" [John Stott, Basic Christianity (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1971), p. 108].
J. Dwight Pentecost affirms that "a true disciple is one who has a love for the person of Christ, confidence in the word of Christ, and is completely committed to Christ in service and obedience" [J. Dwight Pentecost, Design For Discipleship (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1996), p. 16].
Ten Characteristics of a Disciple of Jesus Christ
1. He learns from Jesus.
The word disciple or follower means a learner or pupil. Apart from a few exceptions, mathetes denotes the men who have attached themselves to Jesus as their Master." "Explictly or implicitly the mathetes is always accompanied by the teacher around whom the disciples gather." Today, though modern disciples (Christians) gather around capable mentors who impart much that is wise and necessary for spiritual formation, it should be remembered that Jesus is still the one and only true Teacher around whom His children must "gather" and to whom the mentor must constantly point. Jesus said, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me."
John 8: 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in 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."33 They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?" 34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
How do we learn from Jesus?
One way we learn from Jesus is to read the Bible each day. If you read 5 chapters each day you will read through the whole Bible in a year. It takes just half an hour to read 5 chapters each day. Start with the New Testament first. When you come to words or things you don't understand, don't worry, keepreading. It will sort itself out in your mind as you go through it. It will make sense later on. Before you begin reading, ask God to give you wisdom and insight. His Holy Spirit will make it plain to you. Will you start reading the New Testament today?
Use a piece of paper or a card as a bookmark to show you where you are up to each day. If you make reading your bible a habit you will find it easy to read 5 chapters each day.
Going to church each Sunday and attending a Growth group each fortnight will help us understand things that may be more difficult because we can ask questions.
Who is the Growth Group leader in your church?
Will you contact that person today to sign up for a Growth Group near you?
2. His whole life is shaped by Jesus.
Discipleship always implies the existence of a personal attachment which shapes the whole life of the one described as a disciple and which in its particularity leaves no doubt as to who is deploying the formative power. It is the business of the disciple of Jesus to be stamped and fashioned by Him. One of the clearest examples of this can be seen in the dramatic story involving Peter and John as they are arrested and brought before the Council in Jerusalem. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter gives answer to the question put to him, "By what power, or in what name, have you done this (healed the lame beggar)?" Following his response, Luke records that "as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus."Jesus had so imprinted His life upon them, that the association was obvious. Read Acts 4:1-22
Were the disciples well-educated?
How did people know the disciples had been with Jesus?
What does it mean to have your life shaped by Jesus?
What will need to change in your life as it is being changed?
3. His outer and inner life is controlled by Jesus.
The control of the disciple by the man to whom they have committed themselves extends in the New Testament to the inner life.
Luke 9: 23 And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
What would you need to change to deny yourself?
Taking up the cross is about being known for being a follower of Jesus. Are you ashamed to be known as a follower of Jesus?
Being baptized and making a profession of faith is a public statement that you personally are now a follower of Jesus. Have you made that public statement? Would you like to make that public statement? Please contact your pastor about that today.
Do others (your family and friends) now recognize you as a follower of Jesus?
Why or why not?
4. He has been called by Jesus.
Every incident of a disciple following Jesus is exclusively marked by the initiative of Jesus. The initiative is with Jesus Himself, both in respect of forming a circle of disciples, and also with respect to its composition. Even the fellowship of the disciples with Him is His gift.
"And He went up to the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. And He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach." Mark 3: 13,14.
In our first bible study we noticed these words "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." John 10:27,28.
Sheep often have brands to identify who owns them so they don't get mixed up with others flocks.
The marks of belonging to Jesus are:
There is both an outward call by Jesus to you as you read or hear God's Word, and there is an inner call by His Holy Spirit, where the Holy Spirit says to your heart that you need to follow Jesus. Have you heard His voice in God's word (either in the Bible or in church) and He was called you to follow Him?
What does that feel like to you?
What evidence is there in your life now that you are trying to follow Jesus?
Is there something you can do now about this?
5. His relationship with Jesus is personal.
A personal relationship with someone involves regular two way communication. Do you read God's word each day and do you pray each day?
The Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray.
Luke 11:
Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."2 And he said to them, "When you pray, say:
"Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3Give us each day our daily bread,
4and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation."
5And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves,6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';7 and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything'?8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
You may be more familiar with these words from Matthew's gospel: (Matthew 6)
5"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do.For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8"Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts (or trespasses),
As we forgive our debtors (or those who trespass against us).
13And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
14"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
What do you learn about prayer here?
What are important things to say in prayer?
My wife and I always pray together each night before we sleep. We pray about things that are important in our family such as any illness or crises family members and friends may be experiencing. Most importantly we pray each day for our children and grandchildren to come to know the Lord Jesus personally too.
We pray for friends and growth group members and church family members in this same way.
Sometimes it is good to write down a list of people for whom we will pray each day.
Make a list here of the people you will begin to pray for:
6. He accepts Jesus' unconditional authority .
They are not only to accept His authority "inwardly by believing in Him, but also outwardly by obeying Him.""Knowing God is knowing Him as Lord; 'knowing that I am the Lord.' And knowing Him as Lord is knowing His control, authority, and presence."
Luke 14: 25 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,30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
7. He listens to Jesus.
"Jesus' own disciples are always listeners who simply put questions when they do not understand what Jesus says. The decisive thing, however, is not intellectual appropriation but acceptance of the Word of Jesus by the will, and its implementation."
John 10: 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.30 I and the Father are one."
Are you willing to know and love and serve the Lord Jesus?
What stops you being a wholehearted follower of Jesus?
8. He suffers with Jesus.
The way of Jesus leads to the cross. Hence entry into His fellowship as His mathetes (disciple) carries with it the obligation to suffer. The tradition is unanimous that in fact Jesus left His disciples in no doubt that they were committing themselves to suffering if they followed Him. "When I speak of Christian suffering," writes John White, "I am referring to that suffering I experience because of my loyalty to Christ. I do not even mean suffering because of the way I witness (some of us suffer because we are obnoxious and self-righteous) but suffering that arises because I stand close to the suffering Christ."
Remember these words : Luke 14: 25 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.
What does Jesus mean here?
Sometimes people object to us knowing and following Jesus.
Make the decision to follow Jesus no matter what, and no matter who would stop you.
9. He serves Jesus.
As He Himself does not turn inwards into Himself, but girds Himself for service, so He directs the gaze and powers of His disciples to His task, which by their association with Him is also theirs. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many."Mark 10:45
Finding what the Lord wants you to do in serving other people is very important for our own Christian growth because it stops us from our normally self-centred focus on life, and makes us look outwards first to Jesus and then to others. Someone said finding JOY in Life is about putting
Jesus first
Others second
Yourself last.
What can you do to help others?
Does God want you to do that?
Talk to others (your Growth Group leader and other Christian friends) about how you can begin helping others.
Don't let your natural sinful self-centredness slide you back into doing things so you look good. Pride often is the enemy of the best.
10. He seeks to lead others to Jesus.
"The relation in which the disciples are set by Jesus to Himself implies already that witness to Him is the task to which they are called as His disciples."
Mark 1: 16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men."18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
How can you help others to find the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and Lord?
What do you need to know?
Churches regularly run Evangelism Training classes that will help you point others to Jesus.
Ask someone to read through John's gospel with you from our first Christian Basic Study. They can read the Bible with you and you can support them becoming a Christian too.
Who will you pray for each day to come to know Jesus as their Saviour?
How can you help them to know Jesus too?
The life of Christianity consists very much in our love to Christ. Without love to Christ, we are as much without spiritual life as a carcass when the soul is fled from it is without natural life. Faith without love to Christ is a dead faith, and a Christian without love to Christ is a dead Christian, dead in sins and trespasses. Without love to Christ we may have the name of Christian, but we are wholly without the nature. We may have the form of godliness, but are wholly without the power. Give me thine heart is the language of God to all the children of men, Proverbs 23:26; and "Give me thy love" is the language of Christ to all His disciples. Thomas Vincent, The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ (Ligonier, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1993), p. 1.
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and serve Him
In His presence daily live
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Saviour
I surrender all
