A Closer Walk With God
Are You A Disciple Of Jesus?
A. GREAT COMMISSION, SHORTLY BEFORE ASCENSION.
B. Notice the main thought of Jesus' command.
1. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..."
2. To "make disciples," therefore, is the GOAL of evangelism
B. ARE YOU A DISCIPLE OF JESUS?
1. More than likely you believe in Jesus...
2. You might even be one to attend church services regularly.
3. But is that what it means to be His disciple?
A. THE WORD "DISCIPLE"...
1. The word "disciple" literally means A LEARNER
2. Vine's , "one who follows another's teaching." AN ADHERENT.
3. Disciples were spoken of as IMITATORS of their teachers.
B. THE GOAL IN BEING A DISCIPLE...
1. Stated by Jesus himself: To be like the teacher ( Luke 6:40 ).
2. This coincides with God's goal in the redemption of mankind, that they be conformed
to the image of His Son( Rom. 8:29 )
C. Do you have strong desire to follow Jesus and become like Him?
A. A DISCIPLE IS "ONE WHO ABIDES IN JESUS' WORDS"( John 8:31 ).
1. This would imply being a diligent student of the teachings of Christ
2. It also requires one to be a "doer" of the Word( Mat. 7:21-27; Jas. 1:21-25 ).
3. In view of this, a true disciple would not.fail to study the Bible diligently
B. ALSO "ONE WHO LOVES THE BRETHREN"( John 13:34-35 ).
1. With a love patterned after the love of Jesus ("as I have loved you").
2. With a love that is visible to the world ("by this all will know").
3. Therefore, a true disciple would.make every effort to know his brethren.
4. A disciple wants to be like his teacher( John 15:13; 1 John 3:16 ).
C. A DISCIPLE IS "ONE WHO BEARS MUCH FRUIT"( John 15:8 ).
1. Notice the word "much" (also found in verse 5)
a. Jesus is not talking about an occasional good deed
b. But a lifestyle which prompts people to glorify God!( Matt. 5:16 ).
2. Failure to bear fruit results in being severed from Christ( John 15:1-2 ).
3. How can one be a disciple if he or she is cut off from Christ?
D. The point: to be a disciple of Jesus Christ means more that just a
casual church member. It requires COMMITMENT.
A. JESUS MUST COME FIRST( Luke 14:26 ).
1. Before anyone else, including members of our own family( Matt. 10:34-37 ).
2. Even before one's own self( Luke 9:23-25 ).
B. WE MUST BE WILLING TO SUFFER FOR CHRIST( Luke 14:27 ).
1. Following Christ often involves ridicule and persecution( 2 Tim. 3:12 ).
2. Even if we are blessed to escape such things, we must still be willing to
expend time and effort in promoting the cause of Christ in positive ways
C. SIMPLY, WE MUST FORSAKE ALL TO FOLLOW CHRIST( Luke 14:33 ).
1. In other words, Jesus must be KING and LORD of our lives.
2. Nothing can take precedent over Him and His Will for us.
D. Is the COST worth it?
A. THERE IS THE PROMISE OF "FUTURE BLESSINGS"
1. Saved from God's wrath which is yet to come upon the world( Rom. 5:9 )
2. We look forward with anticipation to eternity with God( Rev. 21:1-8 ).
B. THERE ARE ALSO "PRESENT BLESSINGS"
1. Jesus offers a PEACE the world cannot give( John 14: 27 )
2. His words inspire JOY to lift our spirits out of any depression( John 15: 11 ).
3. The ABIDING LOVE OF GOD( John 15:9; 1 John 4:18 ).
4. Members of THE FAMILY OF GOD( Mark 10: 28-30 ).
A. ACCORDING TO JESUS, IT INVOLVES BAPTISM.
1. Why baptism.
a. Remember the goal of discipleship: to be like Jesus
b. He was holy and sinless, yet we are to be like Him
c. Fortunately, baptism is described as an act of faith which puts us in contact with
the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ so we can be forgiven –
( Acts 2: 38; 22: 16; Rom. 6: 3-4 )
d. It is also the means by which one "puts on Christ"( Gal. 3:27 ).
2. But what is baptism?
a. It is an act of submission, preceded by faith in Jesus and repentance of our sins
( Acts 2:36-38; 8:36-37 ).
b. A burial in water, and resurrection to new life( Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12 )
1) This precludes sprinkling or pouring as a mode of baptism
2) A "burial", an immersion( meaning of the Greek "baptidzo").
c. An act of faith which results in a wonderful working of God in our lives!
1) Sins are washed away( Acts 22:16; Eph. 5:25-27 ).
2) We are "regenerated" and "renewed" by the Spirit of God so we
can now live for God!( Titus 3:5-6 ).
3) A "rebirth" involving both water and the Spirit( John 3: 5 ).
B. BUT BAPTISM IS ONLY THE BEGINNING, TEACHING AND OBEDIENCE MUST
FOLLOW( Matt. 28:20 ).
1. This brings us back to the very definition of discipleship.
2. For Jesus clearly states:
a. We are to be TAUGHT (that is, to be LEARNERS)
b. We are to OBSERVE (that is, to be ADHERENTS or DOERS)
3. In this way we embark on a life devoted to learning and doing all that Jesus
has commanded us to do
A. ONLY THOSE SCRIPTURALLY BAPTIZED AND DEMONSTRATING THE
MARKS OF DISCIPLESHIP CAN TRULY BE CALLED DISCIPLES.
B. ONLY THEY CAN REALISTICALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE REWARDS OF
DISCIPLESHIP AND TAKE CONSOLATION IN THE PROMISE OF JESUS
( Matt. 28:20 ).
