## Challenge of Discipleship

## Luke 9:23

Read: v23-27

In our passage this morning we have a challenge by Jesus Christ to all who would be His disciples or true followers. It is no surprise to me that this passage follows one of the most spectacular miracles ever performed by Jesus while here on earth. He had just fed over 5000 individuals with only five loaves of bread and two small fishes. At that particular time Jesus had quite a following, but they were not His disciples. It doesn't take too much to get a crowd! However, there is a big difference between going along with the crowd and becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ. So we find Jesus calling the twelve unto Himself and presenting them the challenge of discipleship. That same challenge He presents to each of us today:

I. Discipleship Requires a Decision.

A. The Choice: "If any man..."

1. There are no forced disciples!

2. No man has ever been forced into becoming a disciple of Jesus, nor will they ever be.

3. The choice of discipleship lies entirely with the individual.

B. The Confession: "If any man will come..."

1. Once an individual makes the choice to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, then he must be willing to confess.

2. This matter of 'secret-discipleship' is not of God at all.

3. God doesn't want his disciples to keep it a secret!

Lu 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

C. The Christ: "If any man will come after me..."

1. Jesus did not want followers of miracles.

2. He did not want any who were just going along with the crowd.

3. He wanted them to be His followers; that had to be the reason for the decision.

II. Discipleship Requires Denial. "...let him deny himself"

A. Denial of self.

1. To deny myself means that I must yield any and all claims I may have had upon my life.

2. To become God's property to be used however He wants to use me!

3. Note: There is a difference between my choosing to use my Honda in a demolition derby, and borrowing Courtney's truck.

1Co 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

4. His true disciples have been purchased by the His precious blood.

1Pe 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

B. Denial of selfish plans

1. As a disciple we must yield our own plans for our life and seek God's will.

2. There needs to be a willingness to do what pleases God and not necessarily what pleases us or others!

3. A true disciple of Jesus Christ will always consider what the will of God is before making major decisions.

III. Discipleship Requires Dedication.

"…Let him…take up his cross daily"

A. What does Cross-bearing mean?

1. Does it mean I must fashion a wooden cross like Jesus was forced to carry up Calvary?

2. Does it mean it is anything that may be unpleasant in my life?

3. Absolutely not!

B. Cross bearing is voluntary.

1. The cross was God's will for Jesus!

2. He willingly bore His cross, that is just what He wants from us,

3. Jesus never rebelled against doing 1he will of God, rather He voluntarily laid down His life for you and for me.

C. Cross bearing is necessary.

Lu 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

1. A true disciple will willingly seek to do God's will.

2. There are too many today who are telling God, 'No'.

3. Where do we get the idea that we can tell the Almighty Sovereign God of the universe what we will or will not do?

4. Just as it was necessary for Jesus to bear His cross to Golgotha, it is necessary for those who will be His disciples to bear our cross…to do His will for our lives.

D. Cross bearing is daily.

1. It isn't something that is only done during times of religious festivities.

a. We see this a lot during this time of year.

b. People who are carrying wooden crosses…some even being willing to be nailed to them…all in some misguided effort to gain acceptance with God.

c. That isn't what the Lord is talking about here.

2. It is daily yielding ourselves to God's will.

3. Someone may ignore what we say, but if our life reflects a daily surrender to God's will and to the principles of His Word…

4. We will be what Paul calls 'living epistles' to be read by all.

IV. Discipleship Requires Determination.

"…Let him…take up his cross daily and follow me"

A. Determine to live in the Word.

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

1. Continue means to abide in, to dwell in, to remain, to stand, etc.

2. A true disciple is one who has chosen to make the Word of God part of their life.

3. How much time do we spend in the Word?

4. How much of the Word is in our lives?

B. Determine to love one another.

Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

1. With what kind of love? The same kind of love that Jesus had for us.

2. A self-sacrificing, self-giving love.

3. Love in action, because others will see it.

C. Determine to bear fruit.

Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

1. The fruit of disciples are other disciples!

2. Are we soul conscious?

3. When we meet others…when we consider others…do we consider their spiritual needs?

4. Note: 'that ye bear much fruit' that means that we should continually be reaching out to others with the gospel message.

D. Determine to follow Jesus Christ…not man!

1. His example in the Word…

2. His compassion for others…

3. His challenge to all who would be His disciples…

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."