Christian Discipleship

1. Christiandiscipleship –27th
May 2016
“Whoeverwants to be my disciplemustdeny themselves andtake up their cross andfollowme. 35
For
whoever wants to save their life[a]
will lose it, but whoever losestheir lifefor me and forthe gospel
will save it”(Mark8:34-35)
By definition,adisciple is afollower,one whoacceptsandassistsinspreadingthe doctrinesof another.
A Christiandisciple isapersonwhoacceptsand assistsinthe spreadingof the goodnewsof JesusChrist.
Christiandiscipleshipisthe processbywhichdisciplesgrow inthe Lord JesusChristandare equippedby
the HolySpirit,whoresidesinourhearts,to overcome the pressuresandtrialsof thispresentlife and
become more andmore Christlike.Thisprocessrequiresbelieverstorespondtothe HolySpirit’s
promptingtoexamine theirthoughts,wordsandactionsandcompare themwiththe Word of God.This
requiresthatwe be inthe Word daily—studyingit,prayingoverit,andobeyingit.Inaddition,we should
alwaysbe readyto give testimonyof the reasonforthe hope that is withinus andto disciple othersto
walkinHis way.We can learnfrom 1 Peter 3:15, “But in your hearts revere Christas Lord. Alwaysbe
prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks youto give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this withgentleness andrespect”.
As we can learnfrom the Scripture,beingaChristiandiscipleinvolvespersonal growthcharacterizedby
the following:Firstlyandmostimportantlywe need toPutJesusfirst in all things.We can learnthis by
readingMark 8:34-38, “Then he calledthe crowd to himalongwith hisdisciplesandsaid: “Whoever
wants to be my disciplemustdeny themselves andtake up their cross andfollowme. 35
For whoever
wants to save their life[a]
will lose it, but whoever losestheir life for me andfor the gospel will save it.
36
Whatgoodis it for someoneto gainthe wholeworld, yet forfeit their soul? 37
Or whatcan anyone
give inexchange for their soul? 38
Ifanyone isashamedof me and my words inthis adulterousand
sinful generation,the Sonof Man will be ashamedof them when he comes in hisFather’s glorywith
the holy angels.”AsChristianswe mustknow thata disciple of Christneedstobe setapart from the
world.Ourfocusshouldbe on our Lord and pleasingHimineveryareaof ourlives.We mustput off self -
centerednessandputon Christ-centeredness.
Secondlywe must FollowJesus' teachings.We can learnthisin John 8:31-32, “To the Jews who had
believed him,Jesussaid, “If youhold to my teaching,youare reallymy disciples. 32
Then youwill know
the truth, and the truth will set youfree.”. As Christianswe mustbe obedientchildren of Godand
doersof what issaid in the Word or God. We can learnthat obedience isthe supreme testof faithin
God. Throughthe bible we learnthat Jesusisthe perfectexample of obedience asHe livedalife on
earthof complete obedience tothe Fathereventothe pointof death.We can learnbyreading
Philippians3:7-8,“ But whatever were gainsto me I nowconsider lossfor the sake of Christ. 8
Whatis
more, I consider everythinga lossbecause of the surpassingworthof knowingChristJesus my Lord,
for whose sake I have lostall things.I considerthem garbage,that I may gain Christ”
Thirdlywe mustknowthat God requires Fruitfulnessfromus. Ourjobassignedisnotproducingfruitbut
the fruitsof God! Our jobis to abide inChrist,andif we do, the HolySpiritwill produce the fruit,andthis
fruitisthe resultof ourobedience. We canlearnfrom John 15:5-8, “I am the vine; you are the
branches.If you remain inme andI in you,you will bear much fruit; apartfrom me you can do
nothing.6
Ifyou do not remainin me, you are like a branch thatis thrown away andwithers; such

2. branchesare picked up,thrown intothe fire andburned. 7
If youremain inme andmy words remain in
you,ask whatever youwish, andit will be done for you. 8
Thisis to my Father’s glory,that you bear
much fruit,showingyourselvesto be my disciples”. Aswe become more obedienttothe Lord andlearn
to walkinHis ways,our liveswillchange.The biggestchange will take place inourhearts,andthe
overflowof this will be new conduct throughthoughts,wordsandactions thatisrepresentative of that
change…to become a newentityinChrist.The change we seekisdone fromthe inside out,throughthe
powerof the Holy Spirit.Itisn’tsomethingwe can achieve onourowneffort…butwithabsolute faithin
JesusChristas one’ssaviour.
Fourthlywe mustlearnto Love for one another. We can learnthisin John13:34-35, “A new commandI
give you: Love one another. As I have lovedyou, soyou must love one another. 35
By this everyone will
know that youare my disciples,ifyoulove one another.”.We are toldthat love of otherbelieversisthe
evidence of ourbeingamemberof God's family.We canunderstandthisthrough 1 John3:10, “Thisis
how we know who the childrenof Godare and who the childrenof the devil are: Anyone whodoes not
do what isright is not God’schild,noris anyonewho does not lovetheir brother andsister”.We can
learn more on Love as definedandelaboratedonin 1 Corinthians13:1-13. These versesshow usthat
love isnotan emotion;itis notsimplyworldalone but action. We are toldto thinkmore of others
fulfillmentthanof ourselvesandtolookout fortheirinterests:“Donothingoutofselfishambitionor
vainconceit. Rather, in humilityvalueothers above yourselves, 4
notlookingto your own interests but
each of youto the interests of the others. (Philippians2:3-4).In the same passage verse 5 reallysums
up: “Inyour relationshipswithoneanother, have the same mindsetas ChristJesus”.
Finallywe canlearnthat we are alsoexpected toMake disciplesofothers.We are to share our faith
and tell nonbelieversaboutthe wonderful changesJesusChristhasmade inourlives. We can learnthis
as Jesussaidfoundin Matthew28:18-20, “Then Jesus came to them andsaid, “All authorityin heaven
and onearth hasbeen given to me. 19
Therefore goand make disciplesofall nations,baptizingthemin
the name of the Father and ofthe Sonand of the Holy Spirit, 20
andteachingthem to obey everythingI
have commandedyou.And surely I am with youalways,to the very end of the age.”
No matterwhatour maturitylevel inthe Christianlife,we have somethingtooffer.Toooften,we
believethe lie fromSatanthatwe don't reallyknow enoughorhaven'tbeenaChristianlongenoughto
make a difference. ThisisNottrue!Some of the most enthusiasticrepresentativesof the Christianlife
are newbelieverswhohave justdiscoveredthe awesomelove of God.Theymaynotknow a lotof Bible
versesorthe "accepted"wayof sayingthings,buttheyhave experiencedthe love of the livingGod,and
that isexactlywhatwe are to share. ka“ButI am like an olivetree flourishinginthe houseof God;I
trust in God’sunfailingloveforeverand ever”(Psalm52:8).

3. Contentedness_
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35
For
whoever wants to save their life[a]
will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and
for the gospel will save it”(Mark 8:34-35)