Path to Discipleship

  

A fan of Jesus is not a Christian because a fan is not a disciple.

  

First: Discipleship is non-negotiable.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’

-Mark 1:14-15

There can’t be discipleship without repentance.

  

If you’re not a disciple, you’re not a Christian. It’s as simple as that.

  

Second: Discipleship is full on!

Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 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. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

-Mark 1:16-20

Discipleship means you are forever pursuing and discovering what following Jesus looks like.

What are the Gospels? The trusted historical account of the workings, doings, and teachings of Jesus.

What are the Epistles? Letters written to the first churches, inspired by the Holy Spirit, explaining Jesus’ doctrine (teaching) and world view.

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

-John 16:12–15 ESV

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

-2 Timothy 3:16

These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.

-Titus 2:4-8

  

Third: Discipleship is Costly

Calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them (i.e. the non-disciples who are in the crowd), ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’

-Mark 8:34

When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’ Another disciple said to him, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus told him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.’

-Matthew 8:18-21

The greatest sin in our culture is to constrain anyone from being who they really are.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

-Matthew 27:27-31

‘For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s, will save it’

-Mark 8:35

  

The beautiful paradox of the Christian life is this:

As you deny self and follow Jesus, you become the true you that God thought up in the first place.

Here are some good questions to ask yourself:

• Where am I going that I should not be going?
• What am I doing that I should not be doing?
• What am I pursuing that I should not be pursuing?
• What am I looking at that I should not be looking at?
• What does God want me to let go of that I’m tempted to hold on to?
• What does God want me to hold on to, that I’m tempted to let go of?

Have you given up your rights and desires and pursuit to Jesus?

  

Fourth: Discipleship is Missional.

‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

-Matthew 28:18-20

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.

-Psalm 24:1-2

‘You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.’

-Mark 13:9-11

  

“One Life” means… Each one reach one.

  

It means that we:

1. Invest in a relationship with someone far from God.

2. Live a life of distinction: Be distinctly holy.

3. Pray: God create opportunity.

4. Trust: God will give you the right word at the right time.

  

Fifth: Discipleship is responsive!

Discipleship investigates and commits to “all that Jesus has commanded us.”

The process of discipleship is the discovery of “all that Jesus has commanded us.”

  

Following Jesus also means Jesus comes first, in everything.

  

What aspect of your life is going to improve by you running it and not Jesus?

Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!’ Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is going to betray you?’) When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’

-John 21:17-22

  

  

  

  

 

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