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