What makes one a disciple?
What are the pieces of evidence to show that a
person is a disciple?
Do we just take people's word for it? If person
A says they are disciples, then disciples they are, or are there things we will
see in common with these sets of people that qualify them as disciples?
We will be exploring these questions tonight as
we provide answers to them.
One thing I have found so far from scripture is
that Jesus was an interesting man. I sometimes try to imagine Christ in our
world today and what the media paparazzi will be like. This man had random
people leaving their businesses, their lives essentially, to follow Him up and
down.
Though the Return on Investment for that is priceless, but look deep and you find these guys didn't even really
understand the ROI from the beginning.
Jesus was captivating. I think this is the word.
A lot of people were always around Jesus. He had the crowd around Him every
time.
If I see you with a person more than 10 times, I
will automatically assume that you are their follower. But this logic is flawed
when it comes to discipleship. You know why?
Even the Pharisees were always present with
Jesus. They were always a part of the gathering. But were they disciples? No!
Were they following Him in this sense? The answer is No.
For some people, they were captivated by the man
Jesus and the way He spoke, though they never understood anything He said. For
some, it was the miracles. For some, just curiosity. Nothing more than that.
For some others, it could even have been joblessness. Lack of better things to
do with their time. And there are people that would have joined the crowd
because there was a crowd, “Everybody dey
go, so make I join.” There were also people like the Pharisees who were
following Him up and down largely because they hated His guts but somehow
couldn't ignore Him completely. They had to be there to poke holes in all of
His stories. Everyone was present with Jesus, but not everyone was following or
were disciples.
While preaching in church on Sunday, the Holy
Spirit pointed something out to me about the resurrection of Jesus. The angels
had to remind the women who met the tomb empty that Jesus already told them He
would rise. But if you go to Matthew 27 from verse 62, you will see that the
chief priests and the Pharisees did not forget Jesus saying this.
They remembered clearly. So much so that they
met Pilate to guard the tomb heavily. They knew the very words of Jesus but
this did not make them disciples. Their reason for knowing was of course wrong.
30 “As he spake these words, many believed on
him. 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in
my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free.” John 8: 30-32 (KJV)
I noticed something here. Jesus was speaking to
them about the Father and Himself. And the bible says many believed Him.
Faith!
But then you move to the next verse and you find
a shocking revelation;
Their faith/belief in what He had said doesn't
translate into them being disciples. Their proof of discipleship was if they
abide in His word. It wasn't in believing or accepting His word.
That's a start, a good one, but not the evidence
we are looking for.
“If you continually obey my teachings and live
in accordance with them”
The first evidence that anyone is a true
disciple of Jesus is them abiding in the
word. Do you continually obey God's teachings and live in accordance with
them? Or you keep telling yourself that Grace covers all?
Your answer to this question helps you to know
if you are a true disciple or not. There is also a reason this abiding and
obeying is continual.
“From that time many of His disciples went back
and walked with Him no more.” John 6:66 NKJV
See what happened before they left Jesus and
dropped the discipleship cap?
“As the living Father sent Me, and I live
because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” John 6:57 NKJV
The requirement was they will live by the
word. People want to be free, people want to do what they like, they want
to lead themselves. But you see disciples? We are led by the word. No buts.
Discipleship is not a once in a while decision
of following in the footsteps of Christ, we must continually abide here. We
must make that effort. Just as we discussed last week on cross-bearing. Every
one of us must give something to follow. You like it or not, you will drop
something.
I mentioned as we started that the disciples
gave up their very lives to follow Jesus. Discipleship is seen in the sacrifice
we make to continuously abide in Christ and in His word. The proof of Faith is
continuing in Faith. To continue in Faith is to continue in the word (to
continually live by its principles).
So,
1.
A true disciple is one who abides in the word
2.
A true disciple is one who imitates Jesus and does His will
“You are of your father the devil, and the
desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and
does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a
lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” John 8:44 NKJV
We are marked by what we do and what we desire.
What do you desire?
These are questions I'd like us to pause and ask
ourselves.
It is important that we end this series with a
huge change and improvement to our lives as believers.
What do you desire?
Jesus told them they were not of the Father because
they didn't love Him.
“Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father,
you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of
Myself, but He sent Me.” John 8:42 NKJV
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15 NKJV
This brings me to the next piece of evidence of
discipleship.
“This is My commandment: that you love one
another [just] as I have loved you.” John 15:12 AMPC
Our third evidence of discipleship is:
3.
Loving, Just as Christ loves
This is the benchmark. We are not true disciples
yet if we do not know how to love like Christ. Not based on what people do to us but loving
exactly as Christ loves.
Nothing like love your neighbor as yourselves.
No! Love your neighbor as Christ loves you!
Our lifestyle of love stands as a witness to our
discipleship call. No one will say He is a follower of Jesus and refuses to
love as Christ does.
How exactly then has Christ loved us? Find a previous teaching that
answers this question HERE
The proofs that you are a true disciple are:
1.
You abide in the word
2.
You imitate Jesus and do His will
3. You love others just as Christ loves you
Based on these, sit and
ask yourself today, Am I a true disciple of Jesus...?
To
be continued…
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