Putting on a uniform does not make you a soldier.
Kevin Ammerman of Indiana was determined to join the military, but at 351 pounds he was turned down from each branch because he was ‘too big.’ He lost 160 pounds, met the requirements and completed basic training in the Army! (Reported by Meena Hart Duerson, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, Monday, October 8, 2012).
Putting on a uniform does not make you a soldier.
Sitting in a church does not make you a Christian.
Jesus clearly defined what it meant to be one of his disciples… and those who were not.
“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.” (Luke 14:26, ESV)
Christ as Lord.
THREE GOALS
2- Properly understand what it means to be one of Jesus’ Disciples.
3. Evaluate our own relationship with Christ.
A disciple is a Christian
Kinds of disciples in the New Testament.
“the disciples of Moses” (John 9:28),
“the disciples of the Pharisees” (Matt. 22:16)
“the disciples of John” (Luke 7:18)
But a disciple is a Christian.
Aubrey Malphurs writes, The Bible teaches that a disciple is not necessarily a Christian who has made a deeper commitment to the Savior but simply a Christian. Committed Christians are committed disciples. Uncommitted Christians are uncommitted disciples
(John 8:31, ESV)”So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,”
(John 11:25–26, ESV) “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?””
RYRIE: “this may be because a disciple was expected to physically follow his teacher wherever he went, and this meant leaving his family and occupation so as to be able to be with that teacher all the time. After Christ’s resurrection and ascension, this aspect of discipleship was impossible, so the word was used less frequently in the book of Acts, and not at all in the gospels.” (Charles Ryrie, “So Great Salvation,” 104-5).
Larry Richards writes: Change in terminology emphasizes that we are disciples of JESUS, not disciples of Paul, Appolos, Peter or Timothy.
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Matthew 10:37-39 |
Matthew 16:21-25 |
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Time |
2nd year |
3rd year |
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Historical Context |
Invitation to the Jews (Commissioning of the 12) |
Rejected by the Jews |
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Literary Context |
The Gospel will separate |
Christ would die |
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Leave father or mother (Lu 16:24) |
37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” |
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Deny Self |
24 “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me,
let him deny himself and |
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Take up Cross |
38 And whoever does not take his cross and |
take up his cross and |
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Follow me |
follow me is not worthy of me. |
follow me. |
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Finding life |
39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.“ |
25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. “ |
Even if family does not agree, I will serve Christ!
“Hence, even what should be the best and closest of human relationships, in the family, ought never stand in the way of serving God.” Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 181.
What about the Christian family?
“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8, ESV)
Self denial is not self-hatred. It is the restraint of our will so that we can do God’s will.
“Self-denial is a real sacrifice of self-interest…to glorify God, and do good to others.” Charles Finney, 1841. http://www.gospeltruth.net/1841OE/410317_self_denial.htm
Symbol of repentance (I have yielded to Jesus)
Symbol of submission
Symbol of death to my old self
Jews in Galilee and Jerusalem witnessed frequent crucifixions.
In Syria today, Thousands of Christians have been crucified by ISIS. Hundreds of thousands of refugees. Some leaders refuse to leave and have been killed. http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/608224/christian-martyrs-George-Weidenfeld-Patrick-Sookhdeo-Syria-Barnabus-Fund-relocate-charity
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27, ESV)
This is not Lordship Salvation
The THINGS that we surrender are part of SANCTIFICATION. This takes a lifetime and is only beginning when we become his disciple.
The important thing is that our faith is sincere, even if it is limited. Here, in Matthew 10, Jesus is using the well known picture of Roman crucifixion to speak of our willingness to die for Christ.
Deny Self. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38, ESV)
Take up your cross.
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24, ESV)
Less than one week before Martin Burnham’s abduction he gave the devotional at a Wednesday evening service at Rose Hill Bible Church in his small hometown outside Wichita, Kansas. Martin’s uncle, Ralph Burnham, recalled that Todd spoke on Jesus’ words, ‘Follow thou me,’
Just before a Philippine military raid on the kidnappers that led to Martin’s death and Gracia’s freedom, the two huddled together in a hammock under a makeshift tent.
“Martin and Gracia had really been thinking that there would be a chance that they would not make it out alive,” said Martin’s brother, Doug, relying on a phone conversation with Gracia. “Martin said to Gracia, ‘The Bible says to serve the Lord with gladness. Let’s go out all the way. Let’s serve him all the way with gladness.’”
The two then prayed in their hammock, recited scripture verses to each other, and sang. They laid down to rest. Then the rescue assault began and bullets began to fly, puncturing Gracia’s leg and Martin’s chest. — Ted Olsen, “Martin Burnham Went Out Serving with Gladness” ChristianityToday.com (6-10-02).
