1. What is a
disciple?
A. A "follower
of the teaching" & the Master Teacher:
Mat.10:24,25
The disciple [should] be as his master (See
Lk.6:40 )
Jn.12:26
If any man serve Me, let him follow Me
Jn.13:15
I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done
1Pet.2:21
Christ (left) us an example...follow His steps
B. A disciple
abides (lives, dwells) in Jesus:
Jn.15:4
Abide in Me, & I in you
Jn.15:9,10
If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love
1Jn.2:6
He that...abideth in Him ought...to walk as He walked
1Jn.3:24
He that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him
(See also
2Cor.5:17 ; 1Jn.2:5,10,24,28 .)
C. A disciple
serves Jesus out of love & gratitude:
Jn.14:21,23
If a man love Me, he will keep My Words
1Cor.6:19,20
Ye are not your own...for ye are bought with a price
2Cor.5:14
The love of Christ constraineth (motivates) us
Eph.5:1,2
Be followers of God...walk in love, as Christ loved us
Phi.1:21
For me to live is Christ, & to die is gain
(See also
Exo.21:5,6 )
D. A disciple
must love Jesus above all else & all others:
Mat.6:24
No man can serve two masters: he will hate one, & love the
other...hold to one & despise the other
Mat.10:37
He that loveth father, mother, son or daughter more than Me is not
worthy of Me
Lk.14:26
If any man come to Me & [by comparison] hate not his father, mother,
children...he cannot be My disciple
2. A disciple's
job:
A. To win souls
("bear fruit"):
Jn.15:8
Bear much fruit, so shall ye be My disciples
Mat.4:19
Follow Me, & I will make you fishers of men
Mk.16:15
Go ye into all the world & preach the gospel to every creature
Lk.9:59,60
Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou & preach
(See also
Mat.7:20 ; Rom.7:4 .)
B. To train
more disciples:
Mat.28:19
Go therefore & teach [make disciples of] all nations
Jn.21:15-17
Lovest thou Me? Feed [teach & instruct] My sheep
2Tim.2:2 Things which thou hast heard...[teach]
faithful men
(See also
Acts 20:20 )
3. A disciple
is one who obeys the Master:
Mat.12:48-50
Who are My brethren?...His disciples...whosoever shall do
the will of My Father...is My brother
Jn.8:31
If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples
4. Dedicating
oneself totally to the Lord:
A. Abandoning
other pursuits to follow Jesus:
Mat.13:44
Kingdom is like treasure hid in a field...selleth all that he hath &
buyeth that field
Mat.13:45,46
Found pearl of great price...sold all he had & bought it
Lk.14:33
He...that forsaketh not all...cannot be My disciple
B. Forsaking
the pursuit of material possessions:
Mat.6:19,20
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth
Mk.10:21
Sell whatsoever thou hast...& take up cross & follow
Lk.12:15
A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he
possesseth
Acts 4:34,35a
Possessors of lands or houses sold them, & brought the
prices...& laid them down at apostles' feet
Phi.3:8
Jesus...for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, & do count
them but dung
(See also
Mat.19:22 ; Lk.12:33 .)
C. Forsaking
worldly & materialistic ambitions:
Mat.6:24
Ye cannot serve God & mammon
Mk.4:19
The cares of this world, & deceitfulness of riches...choke the
Word...it becometh unfruitful
Mk.10:17-25
[Jesus challenged the rich young ruler to forsake all]
Jn.6:27
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for
2Tim.2:4
No man that warreth entangleth himself with...this life
Heb.12:1
Lay aside every weight...let us run the race
(See also
2Cor.6:17 )
5. The decision
to dedicate oneself to Christ as a disciple:
A. Count the
cost first:
Lk.14:27-32
Intending to build...sitteth down & counteth the cost
Pro.24:6
By wise counsel thou shalt make thy war
B. Burn your
bridges behind you:
1Ki.19:19,21
[Elisha, deciding to follow Elijah, burned his plow & yoke &
sacrificed the oxen]
(See also
Acts 4:34,37 )
C. Be
single-minded & don't look back:
Lk.9:61,62
No man...looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God
Phi.3:13,14
Forgetting things which are behind, & reaching forth...I press
toward the...high calling of God
Heb.11:27
(Moses) forsook Egypt...endured, as seeing Him (God)
D. Some made a sudden
decision to follow:
Mat.9:9
As Jesus passed...He saw Matthew sitting at receipt of custom: Follow
Me. And he arose, & followed Him
Jn.4:35
Say not ye, There are yet 4 months, & then cometh harvest? Look on
the fields, they are white already
1Ki.18:21
How long halt ye...? If the Lord be God, follow Him
Heb.4:7
Today if ye...hear His voice, harden not your hearts
E. Delay &
excuses can result in never serving God:
Lk.9:57-62
Let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home
F. Some took
more time to count the cost:
Lk.14:28-30
Sit...down first, & count the cost
Peter & Andrew first met Jesus at
the Jordan ( Jn.1:37-42 ); They followed Him back to Galilee ( Jn.1:43 ; 2:1,2 ); He called them some time later &
they then forsook all to follow Him fulltime ( Mat.4:18-22 ; Mk.1:16-20 ).
6. Different
ministries of disciples:
A. Being a
disciple does not always mean abandoning all other pursuits:
Mat.27:57
Rich man...named Joseph, who also was Jesus' disciple
Jn.19:38-40
Joseph of Arimathaea, a disciple of Jesus, secretly
Acts 9:36,39b
A disciple named Tabitha [made coats & garments]
(See also
Mk.14:8a )
B. Some
disciples had prominent positions in society:
Mk.15:43
Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor (See also Lk.23:50-51 .)
Acts 19:31
Certain of the chief of Asia...were (Paul's) friends
Acts 10:24, 44-48 [Cornelius the centurion, his relatives &
friends]
Rom.16:23
Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you
C. Sacrificial
giving--a requirement for all disciples:
Lk.8:3
Joanna the wife of Chuza...& Susana, & many others, which
ministered unto Him of their substance
Acts 11:29
The disciples, every man according to his ability
2Cor.8:14,15
That...your abundance may be a supply for their want
1Tim.6:17,18
(Command) them that are rich...(be) ready to distribute
D. The
disciple's attitude towards those who can't devote their full time to serving
God:
Mk.10:21
[Jesus loved the rich young ruler, even though he didn't forsake
all]
Lk.9:49,50
We forbad him, because he followeth not with us. But Jesus said, Forbid
him not.
E. Not all are
capable of or fit to be His disciples:
Lk.8:38,39
The man...besought Him that he might be with Him: but Jesus sent him
away, saying, Return to thine house (See also
Mk.5:18-20 )
Jn.6:53-61,66
[Jesus weeded out weak followers who were there for the wrong motives]
Mat.22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen
(See also Jer.12:5
& Mat.13:47,48 .)
F. Different
degrees of discipleship:
The 3 innermost disciples ( Mk.9:2 ; 14:32,33 ); the 12 apostles ( Mk.3:13-19 );
the "other 70" ( Lk.10:1 ); the "multitude of the
disciples" ( Lk.19:37 )
7. Discipleship
& family obligations:
A. Putting
God's service even before loved ones:
Psa.45:10,11
Forget also thine own people, & thy father's house
Mat.10:36,37
He that loveth [family] more than Me is not worthy
Mat.12:48-50
Who are my brethren? Whosoever shall do (God's) will
Mat.19:29
Forsaken houses, brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, children,
lands, for My name's sake
Mk.1:19,20
James & John...left their father & went after Him
B. Jesus' call
to utter commitment:
Lk.9:59,60
Suffer me...to go & bury my father. Jesus said, Let the dead bury
the dead
Lk.9:61,62
Let me...bid them farewell at home. Jesus said, No man...looking back,
is fit for the Kingdom
(See also
Exo.20:3 ; Mat.22:37 .)
8. Discipleship
& "losing your own life":
A. Forsake own
life, plans, ambitions:
Mat.16:25
Whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it
Lk.14:26
If any...hate not his own life, he cannot be My disciple
Mat.6:21
Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also
Lk.9:59,61
[Wrong attitude:] I will follow Thee, but...me first
B.
Discipleship--A life of death to self:
Mat.6:33
Seek first the Kingdom of God
Mat.10:38
He that taketh not his cross, & followeth after Me
Mat.16:24
If any man come after Me, let him deny himself
Mk.10:21b
Come, take up the cross, & follow Me
Jn.12:24
Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground & die
Jn.12:25
He that loveth his life shall lose it
2Cor.5:15
They should not live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for
them
9. The path the
disciple follows:
A. A disciple
obeys God's will & follows:
Num.22:18
I cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord, to do less or more
Lk.6:46
Why call Me, Lord, Lord, & do not the things I say?
Lk.14:27
Whosoever doth not...come after Me, cannot be My disciple
Jn.2:5
Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it
Jn.8:31
If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed
Rev.14:4
They...follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth
B. A disciple
humbly submits to his pastors & spiritual overseers:
1Cor.11:1
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ
1Cor.16:16
Submit yourselves unto such, & to every one that helpeth with us
& laboureth
Phi.3:17
Be followers of me &...them which walk as ye have us for an
(example)
1Thes.1:6
Ye became followers of us, & of the Lord, having received the Word
Heb.13:7
Them which have rule over you...whose faith follow
Heb.13:17
Obey them that have rule over you, submit yourselves
C. Disciples
obey & follow God, even without understanding details:
Jn.21:21,22
What will (he) do? What is that to thee? Follow thou Me
2Cor.5:7
We walk by faith, not by sight
Heb.11:8
Abraham went out, not knowing whither he went
D. Disciples
willingly adapt & change:
Lk.9:3
Take nothing for your journey, neither...money
Lk.22:35-36
I sent you without purse...But now...take it
E. Love other
disciples & work in unity with them:
Jn.13:35
Ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another
Phi.1:27
With one mind striving together for the...gospel
10. The life of
a disciple:
A. Give
sacrificially & be willing to call nothing your own:
Mat.5:42
Give to him that asketh thee...turn not thou away
Lk.3:11
He that hath two coats, (give) to him that hath none
Lk.6:30
Him that taketh thy goods, ask them not again
Acts 2:44,45
And all that believed...had all things common
Acts 4:32-35
Neither said any that ought of the things which he possessed was his
own; they had all things common
1Tim.6:7,8
Having food & raiment let us be therewith content (See also Lk.9:23-26 )
B. Disciples
must be willing to endure hardships:
Lk.9:57,58
I will follow Thee...Foxes have holes, but the Son of man hath not where
to lay His head
2Tim.2:3
Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ
(See also
2Cor.11:23-28 )
C. Be willing
to endure persecution:
Phi.1:29
Not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer
2Tim.3:12
All that live godly in Jesus shall suffer persecution
Acts 15:26
Men that have hazarded their lives for Jesus Christ (See also Jn.16:33 )
D. Be willing
to literally die for Jesus:
Acts 21:13
I am ready not to be bound only, but to die for Jesus
Phi.1:20
Christ be magnified...whether by (my) life or death
(See also
Acts 20:24 ; Heb.11:35-38 ; Rev.12:11 .)
E. Be zealous
& enthusiastic:
Eccl.9:10a
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might
Gal.4:18
It is good to be zealous...always in a good thing
Rev.3:15
I would thou wert cold or hot
F. An
unswerving continuance in God's Word:
Jn.8:31
If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples
11. The
benefits of discipleship:
A. Discipleship
a privilege:
Psa.4:3
Lord hath set apart him that is godly for Himself
Mat.22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen
Phi.3:14
The prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus
2Tim.1:9
Who hath saved us, & called us with an holy calling
(See also
Mat.11:25 ; 13:16,17 ; Lk.8:10 .)
B. Rewards for
serving Jesus:
Mat.10:39
He that loseth his life for My sake shall find it
Mat.19:27-29
We have forsaken all, & followed; what shall we have? ...Ye shall
sit upon thrones...receive an 100-fold
Mk.10:28-30
Shall receive an 100-fold now in this time
Lk.12:33
Sell that ye have...provide yourselves a treasure in the heavens that
faileth not
Jn.12:26b
If any man serve Me, him will My Father honour
1Cor.2:9
Eye hath not seen...the things which God hath prepared for them that
love Him
(See also
Mat.5:10-12 ; 16:25,27 ; Jn.12:25 ;
2Tim.2:12 .)
C. Faithful
overcomers rewarded:
Rev.2:26-28
He that overcometh...will I give power over nations
Rev.3:21
Him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me
Mat.25:14-29
[The parable of faithfulness with the talents]
Lk.12:42-44
Faithful steward...Lord will make him ruler (See also Lk.12:35-38 )
Lk.19:12-26
[Parable of nobleman giving pounds to his servants]
12. Jesus' last
words & prayer for His disciples:
(See John chapters 14-17 ;
Acts 1:8 .)
Copyright (c)
1997 by The Family
