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Part 1
by Samuel E. Ward
Introduction
Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471) wrote in The Imitation of Christ,
Jesus has many lovers of the heavenly kingdom, but few bearers of his cross. He has many desirous of consolation, but few of tribulation. He finds many companions of his table, but few of his abstinence. All desire to rejoice with him, few are willing to endure anything for him, or with him. Many follow Jesus to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the cup. Many reverence his miracles, few follow the ignominy of his cross.
Many love Jesus so long as no adversities befall them, many praise and bless him so long as they receive any consolations from him; but if Jesus hides himself and leaves them but a little while, they fall either into complaining or into too much dejection of mind.
These words written about 550 years ago are a testimony that the church has not done very well in producing disciples of Christ that are more committed than any of the previous generations. Indeed, if the author were unknown and the general date of its writing, we might conclude that it came from a current author describing the spiritual tenor of the church's present age.
That is why I feel compelled to explore some of the biblical descriptions and principles of discipleship so that we—I, can be certain that I know what is expected of me as a disciple of Jesus and to know its benefits of being one to myself and others on this spiritual journey we call life.
Jesus indicated that we should not enter into the role of disciple without giving it serious consideration.
(Luke 14:25-33 NIV) 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. {27} And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. {28} "Suppose 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? {29} For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, {30} saying, '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? {32} If 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. {33} In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."
What Jesus said warns us that being His disciple may require that we make some difficult choices:
1. Will we choose the will of our family members over the will of Christ?
2. Will we choose to cling to life rather than to die for Christ?
3. Will we choose to clutch our possessions rather than to yield all to the cause of Christ?
To begin to follow Christ only to find that we are not able or willing to complete the journey is only to invite the ridicule of the enemies of Christ and to insure that those enemies gain ground on the battlefield. There will be others who will be faithful and victorious in their fight, but the loss of our position in the fight will only make their fight more difficult. We all have seen how the unfaithful actions of a disloyal few have brought disgrace upon the church as a whole.
Let us begin to search the Scriptures together for those key concepts that will increase our understanding of discipleship so we will continue to follow Jesus with our eyes open to the present temporal costs but with a view to its eternal rewards.
(Luke 18:28-30 NIV) Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!" {29} "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God {30} will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."
(John 12:26 NIV) Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
In Part One of our study we will learn that there are demands placed upon disciples and that the first of these is that we must in Jesus' name present our lives as a sacrificial gift to others. Consider, then, in more detail this fact that . . .
I. There Are Demands Placed upon Disciples
A. Our Present Life Is a Sacrificial Gift to Others; Our Future Life Contains Reward for Faithful Service.
In every Christian's heart there is a cross and a throne, and the Christian is on the throne till he puts himself on the cross; if he refuses the cross, he remains on the throne. Perhaps this is at the bottom of the backsliding and worldliness among gospel believers today. We want to be saved, but we insist that Christ do all the dying. No cross for us, no dethronement, no dying. We remain king within the little kingdom of Mansoul and wear our tinsel crown with all the pride of a Caesar; but we doom ourselves to shadows and weakness and spiritual sterility.
A. W. Tozer (1897–1963)
1. The Core Demand
(Mat 16:24 NIV) Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
2. The Core Application
(Luke 10:25-27 NIV) On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" {26} "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" {27} He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
(Rom 14:7 NIV) For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone.
(Rom 12:5 NIV) So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. . . {10} Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
3. Some Critical Illustrations from Jesus' life
a. Jesus gave His life in order to rescue others from this present evil age and turn them into people eager to do good in His name.
(Gal 1:3-4 NIV) Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, {4} who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
(Titus 2:14 NIV) ... who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
b. Jesus gave His life that we might be able to live for Him.
(Gal 2:19-20 NIV) For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. {20} I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
c. Jesus gave His life out of love that we might be also become "fragrant offerings" of sacrificial love toward others.
(Eph 5:1-2 NIV) Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children {2} and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
4. The Christ-like way to obey:
a. By loving God and your neighbor.
(Mat 22:36-40 NIV) "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."
b. By serving God and our neighbor in the manner of Christ's own service to us.
In this regard, the loving servant of God should be ready to give his/her life for others.
(Mat 20:26-28 NIV) "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, {27} and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- {28} just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Also, the servant of God should seek to lead others to the filling of their greatest need (redemption) but may first have to address other felt needs. These range from the most basic survival needs to more social needs. All of which Jesus was concerned with during His earthly ministry.
Jesus serves as our example in this as well.
(Acts 10:38 NIV) God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and . . . he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Let us take note of the kinds of needs represented in the New Testament toward which Christians should be ready to minister.
o The loving servant of God should be ready to meet the physical needs of others.
(Mat 15:32 NIV) Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."
(Rom 12:13 NIV) Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
(Rom 12:20-21 NIV) "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." {21} Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
(James 2:15-17 NIV) Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. {16} If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? {17} In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
o The loving servant of God should be ready to provide for safety and security of God's people.
(Acts 9:23-25 NIV) After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, {24} but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. {25} But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
See also Acts 17:1-10.
o The loving servant of God should be ready to provide a place of acceptance and fellowship for others.
(James 2:1-5 NIV) My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. {2} Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. {3} If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," {4} have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? {5} Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
o The loving servant of God should be ready to provide a place for others to serve.
(1 Cor 12:11-12 NIV) All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. {12} The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
(1 Cor 12:24b-27 NIV) God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, {25} so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. {26} If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. {27} Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
In the next installment of this series on discipleship we will consider four more needs represented in the New Testament toward which Christians should be ready to minister.
