What Does It Mean to be a Disciple of Jesus?

Last Sunday morning, we heard Peter’s answer to Jesus when Jesus asked him life’s most important question.  Peter answered with personal conviction that Jesus was the Christ from God.  In other words, He was the Savior sent from God.

 

Before we left that text, Jesus predicted His suffering, rejection, and death.  Then, I told you that if Jesus suffered and was rejected, those that follow after Him will most likely suffer and be rejected as well.  This reality shouldn’t surprise us.

 

Today, we will see Jesus extend a formal invitation to follow Him.  This is a formal invitation to be one of His disciples.

 

However, today’s text will not elicit a celebration from the world’s perspective. It will seem paradoxical at best, but it isn’t strange.  Matthew and Mark recorded this narrative in their gospels as well.

 

Before we look at the specific aspects of the invitation, notice that it is an invitation for any and all to be one of His disciples.  His invitation is not to a special class of disciples but to be a disciple. 

 

This is commonly how Jesus and the biblical writers referred to His followers.  See Matthew 28:19, Acts 6:1, Acts 9:1, and Acts 11:26.

 

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

 

6:1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

 

9:1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

 

26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

 

Now, turn your attention to verse 23.  I believe this text identifies three marks of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

 

 

1. A Disciple of Jesus is marked by a conscious decision to follow Him, 9:23a, c.

23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

 

As we said a moment ago, this invitation is for anyone and everyone.  Jesus made this invitation to all of those who around Him and listening.

 

Next, notice His actual words, “If anyone desires to come after Me.”  This is the invitation.

 

To come after Him means to become His disciple.  It means to follow Him and His ways.  Jesus is the teacher.  His followers are His students. 

 

When you decide to study under someone, that doesn’t mean that you become a clone.  For example, there are many things that Jesus did that we can’t do.  We can’t heal the sick.  We can’t calm the storms.  We can’t multiple the supplies.

 

Furthermore, Jesus was single, but that doesn’t mean we are called to singleness.  Jesus didn’t have any children, but that doesn’t mean we are called to childlessness.

 

However, if we are following Jesus, we want to live exactly how He taught.  We want to live exactly how He lived. 

 

If we will, we will be happy.  We will be blessed. We won’t regret it.  See Matthew 5:3-9.

 

Have you made a conscious decision to follow Jesus?  It can’t be my decision.  It can’t be your spouse’s decision.  It can’t be your parents’ decision.

 

It has to be YOUR conscious decision.  However, it is one you will NEVER regret.

 

 

2. A Disciple of Jesus is marked by a consistent denial of self and fame, Luke 9:23b, 24-25.

let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

 

Look at verse 23 again.  Here are two words that our world won’t comprehend: deny and die.

 

Disciples of Jesus are called to deny yourself and take up your cross daily.  This is Luke’s first use of the word cross.

 

What was he talking about?  Death by crucifixion was the worst bar none. 

 

The one sentenced to die would carry the cross bar through town to the location where he was then nailed to that cross bar and the upright post as well.  There he hung until death.

 

Jesus was literally crucified.  His followers are called to be figuratively crucified.  We know that because it literally can only happen once, but Luke says daily.

 

On a daily basis, you and I called to deny self.  On a daily basis, you and I are called to die to self and live according to Jesus. 

 

Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-38.  Understand that this makes no sense to a lost world as Jesus spoke as to how our relationship with Him should compare to our relationship with others. 

 

34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

 

Paul also understood this.  See Galatians 2:20.

 

20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

 

So what does that look like?  It means instead of you and your will and your way and your thoughts and your actions and your reactions and your attitude, it is Jesus first.

 

Some might say that sounds awful.  Others think it is the greatest joy this life has to offer.

 

Scott Drew is the Men’s Basketball Coach at Baylor University.  His teams’ theme for the past several years has been “Choose JOY!”

 

Write JOY down on your bulletin.  What does Jesus start with?  What does others start with?  What does you start with? 

 

A follower of Jesus chooses joy.  A follower of Jesus will then receive joy.

 

Verse 24 says we can’t keep what the world has to offer.  However, we can keep with Jesus has to offer.

 

Does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul?  No, you can’t anything with you.

 

Missionary Jim Elliot is known for having written, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”  You are smart to give away what you can’t take with you and choosing Christ.  He can’t be taken away.

 

 

3. A Disciple of Jesus is marked by a courageous declaration of allegiance to Christ, Luke 9:26-27.

26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”

 

Look at verse 26.  Jesus spoke about those ashamed of confessing Him as Lord and Savior on earth.  In turn, those will be rejected by Jesus for eternity. 

 

Again, if you reject Jesus on earth, He will reject you in heaven.  Instead make a courageous declaration this morning that are a follower of Jesus Christ!

 

Verse 27 foreshadows next week’s message about the transfiguration. The transfiguration demonstrated the kingdom of God.

 

 

Conclusion

This morning, I am going to close by reading a prayer from a classic Christian work called “The Valley of Vision.”  The author is Arthur Bennet.

 

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly…

 

Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up,

that to be low is to be high,

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

that to give is to receive…

 

Let me find Thy light in my darkness,

Thy life in my death,

Thy joy in my sorrow,

Thy grace in my sin,

Thy riches in my poverty

Thy glory in my valley.

 

Will you follow Jesus today?