Summary Three aspects of discipleship where God wants us to have His perspective. Download Link Right click and "Save as..." to Download

 

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The Cost of Discipleship

 

Over the past few years I’ve found a new passion – learning the game of golf. As you probably know – golf isn’t an easy sport! That little ball may be sitting still on the grass, but it certainly doesn’t go where you want it to. Despite spending time at a driving range trying to learn the sport, there have been a couple clubs I basically don’t use. My driver and woods are largely decoration in my golf bag - they don’t come out! The reason is because when I actually do use them – the ball slices wildly off to the left.

 

Around May I decided to visit a Golf Pro. He watched me swinging with a driver a few times and then said, “We can fix that in a couple minutes.” He then did - amazing! I certainly am not great with these clubs now, but his pointers and example were what I needed. He was able to see and understand what I couldn’t.

 

Similarly, Christ taught twelve people to be his disciples. He had a purpose in mind for them that was far beyond their wildest imagination of what was possible. He showed them their true purpose in life and how to live. Of course, what he did for them was far greater than my Golf Pro.

 

We’re very similar to Christ’s disciples. We’re on earth to become disciples. Their calling is our calling. Their hope is what we’re here to learn and aspire to. Our life journey is to become part of God’s spiritual family - something far greater than we’re physically capable of.     

 

So discipleship seems pretty important. But what is a "disciple"? Have you ever asked yourself what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?   Typically, when people hear the word “disciple” they conjure up one of two images:

 

(1) A deep thinking, almost philosophical-looking person, usually dressed in a flowing robe, studying the meaning of some “deep aspect of life”;   Life is like a Bug’s Island campout. Not sure what it means but it sounds deep.

(2) Or some see a disciple as some kind of “religious freak,” willing to do anything, even kill for his or her master.

 

If we're here to become true Christians, we must become disciples of Jesus Christ. So are either of these images what it means? What does it really mean to be a disciple?  That’s what I will talk about today.

 

How would you define being a disciple? Is it like a student? Was I a disciple of my Golf Pro? Not really. By definition, we’re not a disciple of a teacher, we’re a pupil. A pupil doesn’t have to do anything with what they learn from their teacher. The word disciple means a lot more. It literally means a follower, one going in the same way, or someone adhering to the instructions of a master. The best definition I can give you is a disciple imitates, which is where the word comes from. He imitates the teacher. He learns to think and acts like the teacher.

 

Please turn to John:1:35Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;. Let’s start by looking at what happened when Jesus called his first disciples. Christian discipleship began the day after Jesus was baptized.

John:1:35-43[35]Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;[36]And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God![37]And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.[38]Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?[39]He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.[40]One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.[41]He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.[42]And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.[43]The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Again, the next day, John (the Baptist) stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God! The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, What do you seek? They said to Him, Rabbi (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), where are You staying? He said to them, Come and see. They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.  Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas (which is translated, A Stone). The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, Follow Me.

 

According to this passage, the first two men to follow Jesus heard John the Baptist declare that he was the Lamb of God. Andrew and his friend (most likely John) believed what they heard. At first they thought they’d found a rabbi or teacher. Over time Jesus revealed who he was and the full level of imitation required to be a disciple. Jesus’ first instruction to his future disciples was for them to follow him.

 

So what do we take from these early examples of Jesus calling disciples? Christian discipleship begins when we make an active choice to get to know Jesus better. It’s more than being a believer - it's about being a follower! Once we make a decision to accept Christ’s calling, then just like Andrew, John and Peter, we must become His disciples and follow Him. Turn next to Ephesians:5:1-2[1]Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;[2]And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour..

 

Perhaps the hardest thing about following Christ is translating good intentions into deeds. Christianity is easy in concept. Application isn’t that easy is it? Time and time again we lose resolve. If you were a pessimist, you’d probably say “Discipleship is impossible in 2010.  There is no way we be centered on Christ, when everything is pulling us in other directions.” These concerns are what this sermon is designed to help us understand and work through.

 

One of the key learnings I found about discipleship is it’s absolutely NOT a one time event. Instead, becoming a disciple is a lifelong transformation process. What seemed like a fun, light subject to study very quickly became sobering. It’s safe to label the attributes of Biblical discipleship as heavy… very heavy. They’re some of the most challenging words in the Bible.

 

Discipleship is ultimately about choosing: choosing between truth and lies, God and Satan, selfLESSness and selfISHness. Deep down inside, what we wish for is a Gospel which is gentle, consoling, and comforting. In some cases it is. But when it comes to really understanding the cost of being a disciple, God doesn’t pull any punches. He’s very direct about what is required. We’re on earth to be imitators of Jesus.

 

Eph:5:1-2[1]Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;[2]And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

 

So with this as an intro, let’s start looking at what the Bible describes as the conditions of discipleship.  

 

Today’s message will be shaped around an analogy that struck me regarding discipleship. It’s as if God’s plan for us in this lifetime is to live our life inside a small triangular room with windows on each side for us to look out of. When there are no obstructions and the windows are clear, we can see as God intends us to see and know what God wants us to imitate. God’s nature is love – outgoing concern. His desire for us is to become like him. When the view from the window is clear and unobstructed, we can see outside each window are unique aspects of outgoing concern – aspects that are critical to being a disciple and ultimately a son of God.  

 

When I first studied this topic many of the Bible expectations about discipleship seemed too much. They seemed impossible and unrealistic. Why would God expect something we could never achieve? I then started to reflect and wonder why I felt this way. Ultimately I realized that perspective had come from Satan.

 

What Satan has done to mankind is put large mirrors in front of each of these window. Since mankind knows nothing different, we think it’s completely normal to only focus on ourselves. As a result, when we hear descriptions of what it means to be a disciple such as denying self, hating father and mother, bearing our cross - they seem uncomfortable and unfair. A key lesson about discipleship in today’s sermon is that we must change our perspective. We must look away from what Satan wants us to focus on.

 

Please turn to Matt:16:24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.. We need to remove three major mirrors for us to truly be a disciple. Behind these mirrors are three windows providing three discipleship perspectives God wants us to have. With this analogy in mind, today’s message will be structured with us looking at each wall in this room. Let’s start with the characteristic of a disciple shown in the FIRST WINDOW is:

 

SELF DENIAL AND CROSS BEARING

 

Matt:16:24-26[24]Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.[25]For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.[26]For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

Pretty tough words! What these verses tell us is IF we want to follow Jesus, we have to take some very distinct steps. The first step basically cuts us off from EVERYTHING we’ve previous experienced… it requires denying self.  Ouch!

 

Why is this necessary? Why can’t something less work? Can’t we look in Satan’s mirrors and obsess just a little bit on ourselves? The lesson of this window is that no form of self-indulgence can exist to have true discipleship. The beginning of true virtue comes when we think beyond our own needs and our own wants. That’s why Christ expressly made self-denial a condition of discipleship. Obedience must come whole-heartedly.

 

We’ve already reviewed that the definition of the word discipleship refers to us learning to follow, believe, and imitate. Imitating God requires faith. I would argue the reason discipleship is so complex, is it makes faith mandatory – it’s the only way. Faith is the assurance of what is promised by God but is unseen. When I thought the expectations of a disciple weren’t realistic, that was based solely on my physical view of the world and my limitations. I wasn’t trusting God or the unseen. That takes faith! A key aspect of faith is it takes choice.  PURE SELF CONTROL can help us remove some of Satan’s mirrors of distraction, but ONLY FAITH and reliance on God can remove them all. Knowing the true source of our strength is critical.

 

What is self denial? Is it just giving up everything we want? Not exactly. For one thing, some of what we want isn’t bad in the first place! In addition, a challenge about self-denial is that a lot of what can pass for it’s really hypocritical. It’s common for people to deny self in one form, for the sake of gratifying self in another. Let me give you an example: a man can deny all his bodily appetites and passions, for the sake of earning a positive reputation for sacrificing. That’s not self-denial - it’s vanity.

 

Keep your finger in Matthew 16 but turn to Phil:3:8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,. Discipleship means securing all our selfish tendencies, but NOT for selfish physical recognition. It becomes a lifelong struggle to become dead not only to those objects that so easily distract us, but also to the desire for recognition for when we do right. Paul shows his mental processing of this in Philippians.

 

Philippians:3:8-11[8]Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,[9]And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:[10]That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;[11]If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

 

Let’s reflect back to my analogy of SATAN PLACING MIRRORS to block us from the outwardly focused perspective of God. Satan’s mirror of distraction in front of this window is self focus and self indulgence. Satan wants us to be absorbed looking at ourselves. When this is our view, God’s calling for us as disciples seems impossible. All we see is ourselves and our frailties. We either think “it can’t be done,” “it’s not fair”, or “it’s impossible”.

 

Please realize, it’s not all bad for us to recognize we simply can’t do it on our own.  The question is if we stop there and give up - or look to God. God wants us to break down the mirrors of distraction Satan has put up and look out to see HIS power and HIS greatness. That takes trusting in God and totally relying on his Spirit and his lead. It’s only when we give up trying to make something work by ourselves - and throw ourselves into the arms of God… that we can be disciples of Christ.   Boy, that’s much easier to say than do.

 

When Jesus began to reveal the truth to His disciples, he knew it would require them choosing to believe and obey. Matthew 16 said "IF any man would come after me." Jesus knew his disciples were free to choose OR reject Him. Nobody can be forced to come after Jesus. That’s step one. Once we’ve chosen to come after Jesus, the only way we can successfully continue is if we are willing to deny our self. Jesus said you and I must be prepared to turn down all other offers which will come our way. Satan will make a lot of offers. God put us into this three sided room during this lifetime and has left everything for us to decide and prioritize individually.

 

Please turn to Matthew:8:16-27[16]When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:[17]That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.[18]Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.[19]And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.[20]And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.[21]And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.[22]But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.[23]And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.[24]And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.[25]And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.[26]And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.[27]But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!. The disciples struggled with this just like you and I do. This next set of scriptures is fascinating. This is one section of verses where I struggled to know where to start. In verses 1-4 we have him healing a leper. Verses 5-13 show the centurion who had great faith in Jesus and had him heal a servant without ever physically seeing the person. Verses 14, 15 have Peter’s mother-in-law being healed. We’ll start with one more example of amazing miracles:

 

Matt:8:16-17[16]When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:[17]That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.

Everything suddenly changes and Jesus talks about the cost of discipleship.

   
Matt:8:18-22[18]Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.[19]And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.[20]And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.[21]And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.[22]But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go. And Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. Then another of His disciples said to Him, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. But Jesus said to him, Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.

Those are hard words to stomach. The disciples didn’t have the benefit of scripture or the full context we are discussing today. Let’s continue to what happened next and we’ll see how the disciples struggled between fear and faith.

   
Matt:8:23-25[23]And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.[24]And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.[25]And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us! We are perishing!

 

The first thing to clarify is this storm doesn’t represent the minor waves that would make Dan Apartian or maybe some of you sea sick. These were seasoned fishermen. Still, they felt the storm was capable to not only kill themselves but also the Son of God!

 

Matt:8:26-27[26]And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.[27]But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! But He said to them, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?

 

On multiple occasions Jesus referred to his disciples as having “little faith.” Please keep context here! The disciples had Jesus right in front of them performing amazing miracles even healing Peter’s mother-in-law - and still the disciple’s faith was shaky! If that was the case for them, it will be for us too from time to time. Every day there are opportunities for us to take on judgmental attitudes or think only about ourselves. Satan will continually give us new distractions to choice from.

 

So far my focus has been on self denial, but don’t forget this first lesson is also about CROSS BEARING.

 

Matt:16:27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

 

The concept of self denial is coupled with cross bearing - another uncomfortable topic. The two are actually very closely linked.  You may remember Jesus wasn’t just crucified on a cross, but he was also asked to carry it as well.  What would go through your mind if you were asked to carry your greatest burden in life? The reality is we are! That burden is all the selfish temptations and desires Satan uses to distract us. Our calling is to see only God going before us and not get distracted by the challenges on the road ahead. Otherwise they’ll seem too hard for us to travel. That’s where the analogy of taking up our cross comes in. Only when we’ve become completely oblivious to self are we ready to bear the cross.

 

Bearing the cross means sharing the suffering of Christ. Those in Christ’s time saw people bear their cross till they were hung on them – until the end of their lives. God has offering us eternity, but we’re assured it will come through trials.   What this means to us today is somewhere in our journey following God, people are going to persecute us. Beyond that, we’re all called to abandon the attachments of this world. Each of us has different parts of our selfishness we struggle most to overcome.  That’s the part of self that is hardest to deny. Our cross to carry is with us from the beginning. The cross is also different for each of us. It may look like our family, our spouse, our desires, our ambition, our boss, our job, our neighbor or our health. There is no need for us to go out and look for a cross. We all have trials and weaknesses we’re prone to fight with for our entire life. That’s why discipleship is a lifelong path.

 

Sounds pretty ominous doesn’t it? I think it’s intended to. Turn next to Zechariah:4:6Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.. As long as we’re looking in Satan’s mirror, we’ll never bear a cross or deny ourselves. That would require loosing all we can see and control. When we look past ourselves to God’s power and his spirit (which is the only way we can imitate him as a disciple) – then these commands become doable.

 

If you reflect back on all the sermons you’ve heard over the years – are there any that still stand out to you? Maybe they had specific lessons or perspectives you still reflect on. About six years ago Gary Petty’s gave a message about playing church. In regard to bearing our cross, he made a comment that has stuck with me all this time: “This is the only reason you'll stay in the church by the way. I don't care what a good job your parents do. You'll stay in the church because you become a disciple of Jesus Christ or you won't stay. That's it. You will stay in the church of Jesus Christ, the church of God because you become a disciple of Jesus Christ or you won't stay, because you know why? It'll get too hard.”

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Very frank and sobering. When all we see is ourselves in the window, everything else seems overwhelming. Christianity isn’t meant to be overwhelming or impossible. The issue is IF we look at the world from God’s perspective OR Satan’s.  Zechariah:4:6Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. shows the spiritual perspective God wants us to have.

 

Zech:4:6Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. So he said to me, This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty.

 

Not by might or power tells us God is going to carry the cross with us. He doesn't make us do it ourselves because we can't! That's the whole point. You and I can't do it ourselves. There's an awful lot of Christians trying to work out salvation on their own. Some of them have remarkable will power and can do lots of things themselves, but ultimately we can’t carry the cross entirely by ourselves. Someone has to carry it with you, and that’s why Christ gave his life. He doesn't always carry it for us; sometimes he carries it with us.  He makes self denial and cross bearing possible.

 

Let’s go on to the SECOND WINDOW describing another condition of being a disciple. Turn to Luke:14:26If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.. Satan has blocked the next wall of the triangular room with a mirror showing our loved ones. “Wait” you might say, “family is called a blessing from God!” Yes they are, but if we don’t view these relationships with the correct balance, they can become anchors pulling us away from God.

 

Luke:14:26-27[26]If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.[27]And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. If anyone comes to Me and does not hate [or love less] his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

 

FULL ALLEGIANCE

 

The second window tells us to have full allegiance. Hate in this verse literally means you're comparing two things and find your commitment and love to the first is so great it makes the other seem insignificant. It doesn't mean it’s insignificant, it means it seems insignificant in comparison.  That’s another requirement of being a disciple.  Keep your finger in Luke but turn back to Matt:10:34Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.. Jesus says if we don't see family, parents and life itself as insignificant in comparison to what God is offering us, we can’t be his disciples. More tough words! Matthew 10 clarifies the concept of loving less.

 

Matt:10:34-39[34]Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.[35]For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.[36]And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.[37]He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.[38]And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.[39]He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 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; and a man's enemies will be those of his own household. 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. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

 

In essence these verses are saying if we wish to be Jesus’ disciples, we need to offer ourselves to Him with all our heart. It requires FULL ALLEGIANCE.   Turn back to Luke 14 and let’s continue reading in verse 28.

 

Luke:14:28-33[28]For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?[29]Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,[30]Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.[31]Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?[32]Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.[33]So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it-- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

 

Let me return you to my analogy of the room with mirrors blocking our view. If you want to know WHAT’S OUTSIDE THE “FULL ALLEGIANCE” WINDOW – if you want to know what God’s perspective is – I would say it’s Matt:6:33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.. The flip side of LOVING GOD LESS than our physical family is SEEKING FIRST the kingdom of God. If we love other things more, we can’t seek the Kingdom of God first. Maybe that gives you a different way of looking at this familiar verse.

 

Luke says we should count the costs. Our world is full of soft sell advertising. Marketing dilutes and smoothes out the bumps in life. One of the key things I found in studying discipleship is God does nothing of the sort.

 

The definition of the word for counting the cost literally means to divide or tear from a root. In other word, the cost is not insignificant.  It means things of value to us will be torn away from the roots. We can’t make seeking God a close second to being loved by our families. There’s no settling. These are pretty blunt verses about the full price of become a true Christian. It's a whole lot harder than just keeping the Sabbath, Holy Days, tithing and watching what we eat. While all these things are important, these are just little bits and pieces of what God is developing in his disciples.

 

The second window of discipleship forces us to recognize NOTHING is virtue, but ENTIRE obedience. Look back at

 

Luke:14:33So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Except a man forsake ALL that he has, he cannot be My disciple.

 

OK, let’s go to the tough question – why FULL allegiance? Isn’t there another way? As I studied the concept of a disciple’s full allegiance, two reasons why this is essential came to mind.

 

1st is comprehension.

Going back to my analogy – not only must we remove Satan’s mirror which distracts us by focusing too much on our loved ones. We’re also SUPPOSED TO SEE OUT AND ACT on what we see. Discipleship requires clean windows for us to look out and see and seek the kingdom of God. Discipleship isn’t limited to what we can comprehend— to truly be spiritual our vision must transcend human comprehension. After all, God’s comprehension transcends ours.  His Kingdom is beyond what any of us can fully grasp.

 

You have seen amazing pictures of galaxies with millions and millions of stars which are located millions and millions of light years away – I’m not even sure what that really means! These are things WAY beyond our comprehension. This is the outside limits of what we can understand humanly and it seems unreal and impossible for us to fathom. Yet this doesn’t even scratch the surface of what God can comprehend or create!

 

When you think of the difference between our human comprehension compared to being a faithful disciple who trusts fully in God and what he knows – another analogy it links naturally to are the many Bible references to God’s role as a shepherd leading a flock. The two analogies (being a disciple and a sheep) are closely linked. Sheep are not the most brilliant animals in the world. When Jesus is referred to as a shepherd over his sheep, the Bible isn’t primarily focusing on the animal-like qualities of those sheep, but on the disciple-like qualities we should have as followers. We’re to be obedient followers, wise enough to follow Jesus the shepherd who will lead us in the right places and in right ways.  The sheep don’t know where the green pastures are at. The shepherd does! Relying on the shepherd takes self-denial and trusting a being with greater comprehension than we have.

 

A proper perspective helps us stay on the right path throughout this life. Turn to Hebrews:11:8-16[8]By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.[9]By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:[10]For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.[11]Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.[12]Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.[13]These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.[14]For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.[15]And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.[16]But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. and we can see this exemplified by one of the patriarchs. Are we relying on the best man is able to see or what God assures us is out there. Abraham was a very capable, powerful and accomplished man – but he fully relied and trusted in God.   

 

Heb:11:8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

 

Abraham realized despite all the things he personally accomplished on earth, his physical comprehension was nothing compared to God’s. Why did Paul use this example with Abraham? Look to verse 13 and you’ll see an example that ties into what we’re talking about. The goal wasn’t about this physical life so the trust and full allegiance has to rest entirely on the only being who understands what comes next.

 

Heb:11:13-16[13]These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.[14]For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.[15]And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.[16]But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

 

In our lives, we can’t always know what God’s intended destination for us is either. We must let Christ lead us.

 

Full allegiance is similar to letting God lead us as though we were blind. Sound impossible? Go back to window one – “not by MY might nor MY power but by GOD’S spirit”. You might remember Mr. Luker in the feast film saying “Trials teach us obedience from the heart and not just the head.” When we are deeply convinced God loves us, has all knowledge, and all wisdom - we can be sure that he has our best interest at heart.

 

Along the way God may guide us into paths where HE knows great blessings await, but which our short-sighted human eyes only see as pain or loss.  What do we trust – our eyes or our God? Where is our allegiance? Sometimes the road contrary to all we would naturally choose or desire— is the road we must take. That’s why full allegiance means loving less what we physically comprehend and instead trust God.

 

The 2nd reason why full allegiance is essential deals with how we handle REJECTION AND SUFFERING. The call of God comes to each of us separately. We each follow a path of our own. A natural challenge to full allegiance is that all of us are frightened by solitude.

 

Remember Satan is tempting us at this point with our loved ones.  Most humans try to protect themselves from rejection or suffering by fitting in with society. Safety is found in not being too different from other people. When we become aware of unpopular spiritual responsibilities or duties, they take us away from what makes us feel safe. The reality is this perceived loss of safety is only a faulty perspective from looking into Satan’s mirror. Pursuing safety from negative peer pressure is what Satan uses to prevent us from choosing to imitate God.

 

That’s why Satan put our loved ones in the second mirror.

 

The differences in our comprehension vs. God’s teach us that God's thoughts are not as our thoughts. Rejection has a role in discipleship as well. God’s love for us may lead us to something different than the wishes of our dearest friends.  In order to be a disciple, we MAY be called upon to forsake all we have; to turn our backs on even our father or mother, brother or sister, or husband or wife; or it may be our own life. Unless the possibility of this is clearly recognized from the start, it can be very likely we’ll get into difficulty. Sooner or later we’re all led into paths which are met with disapproval by someone we love most. Unless we’re prepared for this, and can trust the Lord through it all, discipleship will seem too tough.

 

Suffering was laid upon Jesus and will be laid upon his disciples. Jesus’ disciples struggled with this not only personally but with the fact that the messiah would have to suffer.   The very notion of a suffering Messiah was scandal to the Church.  Peter’s protested the thought of Christ’s sacrifice. Satan had gained entry into him and Jesus knew this. That’s why Jesus had to make it crystal clear beyond any doubt that suffering WILL occur to his disciples no less than to himself.  Sooner or later we are all led into paths which are met with disapproval by someone we love most. Unless we’re prepared for this, and can trust the Lord through it all, discipleship will seem too tough. The full allegiance of discipleship means a willing acceptance that it may happen and God’s will be done.    

 

None of us likes suffering - I certainly don’t. Please turn to Matthew:26:39-42[39]And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.[40]And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?[41]Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.[42]He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.. Even Jesus struggled with the facts around what he was about to suffer. He prayed to His Father that the cup may pass from Him.

 

Matt:26:39-42[39]And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.[40]And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?[41]Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.[42]He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will. Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour? he asked Peter. Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. He went away a second time and prayed, My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.

 

The full allegiance of discipleship means a WILLING ACCEPTANCE that rejection and suffering MAY happen and God’s will be done. God the Father heard Jesus prayer; and made it possible for the cup of suffering to indeed pass from Him—but only by His drinking it.  

 

We now get to the THIRD WINDOW - the third characteristic defined in the Bible for us to be a disciple. For this one, turn to John:8:31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;. The first thing we need to recognize is THE MIRROR SATAN HAS PLACED IN FRONT OF US to blind us from seeing this condition of discipleship. This third mirror could be titled “MORE” - the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye and the pride of life. Satan is constantly showing us there is always another thing to have and wish for. Satan uses more as constant distractions to take our eyes away from the prize. Once we get past this mirror, we see the third condition of discipleship:

 

STEADFAST FRUITFULNESS

 

John:8:31-32[31]Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;[32]And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you abide (the word literally means to endure or continue to the end) in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Turn forward now to John:15:10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.. We are to abide – to keep on keeping on to the end? What does this look like?

 

John:15:10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

 

The first two conditions of being a disciple are critical. We can DENY OURSELVES and have FULL ALLEGIANCE TO GOD, but that’s not enough for us to REMAIN a disciple of Jesus Christ. Consistent ongoing action must also be involved.

 

Remember we spoke about the definition of the word disciple. A 'disciple' by definition isn’t only a pupil, but an adherent; that’s why they’re spoken of as imitators of their teacher." So a disciple of Jesus Christ follows His example.

 

The analogy of carrying our cross fits as well as an example of steadfastness. Aren’t there some days where we’re going great with God? Then a few days later we face such a crisis of faith, we're ready to give up and never come back to church again. That's what it means to be a Christian. It’s continually picking up our cross and carrying it until the day we die. It’s about steadfast fruitfulness.

 

Turn back a few verses to John:15:8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples..  We’ve spoken about being steadfast, but can it be done in isolation? Is it OK to be steadfast in solitude on a mountaintop? Is that discipleship?

 

John:15:8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

 

A disciple imitates the teacher. They do this steadfastly until the imitating is so good – and they become so much like the teacher, the teacher says, “okay, now you go out and find disciples and make them imitate me”. Our job isn’t to call people, but we have a responsibility to become such examples that God can use us to bear HIS fruit in other people. This doesn’t happen in isolation.

 

Turn next to Matthew:28:18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.. Christian discipleship is summed up in the Great Commission. After the resurrection and before Jesus ascended into heaven, he appeared one last time to His disciples. This is the moment He delivered the famous responsibility for his disciples to bear fruit and make other disciples around the world - known as The Great Commission:

 

Matthew:28:18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always (and if you wonder how long we are to be steadfast – Jesus answers) to the very end of the age.

 

You may say – “Yeah, but that’s the role of the ministry! I’m just a lay member. How do I make disciples? How can I bring forth fruit?” Turn to John:13:35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.. When Jesus said these words, they’re equally applicable to a widow as to an elder. We read the next verse at every Passover to help us gain clarity about what God intends for each and every one of us.

 

John:13:35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, IF you have love for one another.

 

That’s what being fruitful looks like. I referred earlier to Mr. Luker’s comments during the feast film. This comment should have you reflect on Mr. Rhodes comments about loving neighbor. A disciple consistently shows this type of love, denies himself and is willing to bear his cross if necessary. Truly imitating (or discipling) the love Jesus showed to us reveals itself as full allegiance. Those are the three windows.

 

Please turn to Matt:9:35And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.. So if Satan’s mirror of distraction is “more”, what’s the proper spiritual perspective when it comes to Steadfast Fruitfulness? I think Jesus exemplified the spiritual perspective in this verse.

 

Matt:9:35-38[35]And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.[36]But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.[37]Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;[38]Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

 

When we’re not blinded by more for ME, we see the fields are ripe for harvest to GOD, and we’re compelled to pray for more laborers and focus on the Great Commission.

 

When this occurs we’ve become disciples as Jesus intended. Tragically there are bumps in the road which will make us start to notice Satan’s mirrors of distraction again. That’s why discipleship is a lifelong journey. We’ve now looked out all three windows. Let’s go around the room again and review the three characteristics of being a disciple. Review 3 Windows – Satan’s mirror of distraction and spiritual perspective

 

BLESSINGS PROMISED TO:

Let’s conclude by reading three verses showing the blessing God promises to his disciples. If this message has focused on the difficult cost of being a disciple, the rewards promised to disciples far exceed anything we’ll face along the way. Turn first to John:10:27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:.

 

God has presented himself to his disciples in many ways since creation. Sometimes it’s through powerful miracles, bolts of lightening and the sound of thunder. At other times he’s guiding mankind through a still small voice. The key is for his disciples to have full allegiance to him and hear his voice. This takes us back to the analogy of God as our shepherd.

 

John:10:27-30[27]My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:[28]And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.[29]My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.[30]I and my Father are one. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one.

 

Jesus is described here as our shepherd and we as sheep. We talked earlier about disciples as those who are followers and who imitate their master. It’s very comforting to know that our shepherd knows us and will not let us perish. If we’re to have any doubts, he reminds us that God the Father is greater than all, and we’re in his hands if we are disciples. He guarantees us NO ONE can snatch us out of his hands if we surrender to him. On top of that, we’re promised eternal life. Next turn forward two chapters to John:12:26If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.. So can we relax in the kingdom? Will it all be about me at that point? One other comment Mr. Rhodes made on the feast film seems to apply here. He said:

 

“The kingdom of God is not about self but receiving positions of service to others. Having authority means a responsibility to serve, not an opportunity to rule.”

 

John 12:26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

 

What reward does a disciple receive? Honor from God the Father. What does this honor look like? Turn to Mark:10:28Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.. God encourages his disciples by promising he recognizes and rewards those who have left all. If you think of the incredible majesty of creation, of a sunset or the ocean, those were created solely for our use. God has much more planned for the disciples he honors.

 

Mark:10:28-31[28]Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.[29]And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,[30]But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.[31]But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. Then Peter began to say to Him, See, we have left all and followed You. So Jesus answered and said, Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time--houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions--AND in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

 

Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. It remains an abstract idea, a myth which has a place for God but never really sees him because it’s blinded by Satan’s mirrors.

 

Discipleship is the only way to become what God has in mind for his family. Satan has tried to make discipleship seem impossible, but it’s the result of mirrors blocking us from understanding God’s perspective. The path to salvation is through discipleship – denying self, bearing our cross, full allegiance and steadfast fruitfulness.

 

All of us here are trying to imitate God in this way. If we do we’ll ultimately be greeted with the words:

 

“Hello good and faithful servant, enjoy the salvation prepared for you from creation.”