Understanding Discipleship

The word disciple is found more than 260 times in the Gospels and Acts, and the verb translated, "to learn as a disciple" is found 25 times in the New Testament. During the lifetime of Jesus there were many who considered themselves to be His disciples. That is, they followed Him and listened to His words, as pupils might listen to a teacher. Although these people may have thought Jesus to be the Messiah, many of them had a wrong understanding of the sort of person the Messiah would be. They expected Him to be a political leader who would free the Jews from Roman domination and bring in the "golden age." When they found that Jesus was not this type of leader, they withdrew from Him (John 6:66-68).

Yet there were many, probably hundreds, who were true believers, true disciples (Luke 6:17,20). From these, Jesus chose twelve whom He appointed apostles (Luke 6:13). These twelve were Jesus' disciples in a special sense, and became known as "the twelve disciples" or simply "the disciples" (Matthew 16:13; 20:17; 24:3). After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, all the followers of Jesus became known as disciples (Acts 1:15; 6:1; 9:1), and later as Christians (Acts 11:26; 1 Peter 4:16).

The cost of discipleship
Jesus pointed out that those who want to become His disciples (whether in His day or in ours) have to accept His lordship in their lives. Usually Jesus will require different people to make different sacrifices, depending on who they are and what work He wants them to do. But always there will be some sacrifice. Self-denial is the only way to become a disciple of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:16-20; 8:34-38; 10:17-22,28-30; Luke 14:33; Philippians 2:3-8).

Just as Jesus carried His cross to the place of his crucifixion, so each of His followers has to take up his cross and be prepared to die for Jesus' sake (Matthew 16:24-26; John 19:17-18). Even if the Christian's discipleship does not lead to death, it will involve a certain amount of hardship, suffering and persecution (Matthew 10:24-25; 24:9; John 15:20).

We  must consider beforehand what it will cost us to be Jesus' disciples. We must be prepared for a lifetime of commitment to Him. There is no place for those who make a start and then give up (Luke 14:26-33;). Disciples must be ready to accept physical inconvenience (Luke 9:57-58), to put their responsibilities to Christ before all other responsibilities (Luke 9:59-60) and to be wholehearted in their devotion to Christ (Luke 9:61-62).

Characteristics of the true disciple
A disciple is a learner or pupil, and the disciples of Jesus learn from Him (Matthew 11:29; Ephesians 4:20). But merely to learn is not enough. We must put our learning into practice and maintain a consistent obedience if we are truly to be Jesus' disciples (John 8:31). We give visible proof that we are Jesus' disciples through practicing genuine love towards each other and through bearing spiritual fruit in our lives (John 13:13-15,35; 15:8). This practical love extends beyond the group of fellow disciples to all people everywhere (Matthew 5:44-46). Jesus' disciples take His message to others in order to make more disciples, no matter who the people are or where they live (Matthew 28:19-20).

Here are some truths relative to Discipleship:
1) The truth learned must be practiced. It must be appropriated by heart, mind, and will, so that one remains or abides in the truth. Only then is one truly Christ's "disciple" (John 8:31).

2) True discipleship implies self-surrender, self-denial, sacrifice, service, and suffering.

3) The true mark of discipleship is revealed in (John 15:14).

4) Willingness to suffer for Christ is proof of discipleship.

5) The motivation for true discipleship: "for My sake and the Gospel's" (Mark 8:35). To lose yourself is not an act of desperation; it is an act of devotion.

6) Discipleship is a matter of profit and loss, a question of whether we will waste our lives or invest our lives.

7) Jesus turned to the multitude and preached a sermon that deliberately thinned out the crowd (Luke 14:25-27). He made it clear that, when it comes to personal discipleship, He is more interested in quality than quantity. In the matter of saving lost souls, He wants His house to be filled (Luke 14:23); but in the matter of personal discipleship, He wants only those who are willing to pay the price.

8) Jesus seems to make a distinction between salvation and discipleship. Salvation is open to all who will come by faith, while discipleship is for believers willing to pay a price.

9) Salvation means coming to the cross and trusting Jesus Christ, while discipleship means carrying the cross and following Jesus Christ.

10) What does it mean to "carry the cross"? It means daily identification with Christ in shame, suffering, and surrender to God's will.

11) It means death to self, to our own plans and ambitions, and a willingness to serve Him as He directs (John 12:23-28).

12) There is only one way of being a disciple, and that is by being devoted to Jesus.

13) Witnessing is simply telling people the difference Christ has made in your life. Sharing answered prayers should be as natural as sharing an exciting news item from the newspaper. Sharing your love for Christ should be as easy as sharing your devotion to the Yankees or the Knicks. It's simple to witness when Christ is the main focus of your life.

14) Unless we come together in the presence of Jesus, there is no place or base for experiencing the realm of God on earth. The realm of God dwells in the hearts and relationships of real people who are gathered by Christ for a new kind of life together.

15) The cost of discipleship has always been high. Jesus paid the price so you can have the right to become a disciple, but you must pay the price of becoming a disciple.

16) Conversion is part of discipleship.

17) People grow better together!

The Unpardonable Sin!

The unforgivable sin of speaking against the Holy Spirit has been interpreted in various ways, but the true meaning cannot contradict other Scripture. It is unequivocally clear that the one unforgivable sin is permanently rejecting Christ (John 3:18; 3:36). So, speaking against the Holy Spirit is equivalent to rejecting Christ with such finality that no future repentance is possible.

In the context of this particular passage (Matthew 12:22-32), Jesus had performed a great miracle of creation, involving both healing and casting out a demon, but the Pharisees rejected this clear witness of the Holy Spirit. Instead they attributed His powers to Satan, thus demonstrating an attitude permanently resistant to the Spirit, and to the deity and saving Gospel of Christ.

A deliberate refusal to believe, even though knowing the truth, seems to be what Jesus called the unforgivable (unpardonable) sin.

Matthew 12: 30:

Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 

31) And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 

32) Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Mark 3:28:

I promise you that any of the sinful things you say or do can be forgiven, no matter how terrible those things are. 

29) But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven. That sin will be held against you forever.

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit evidently is not just a one-time offense; rather, it is an ongoing attitude of rebellion – a stubborn way of life that continually resists, rejects and insults the Holy Spirit. This is what makes it, in effect, an eternal sin (Mark 3:29). Blasphemy against the Spirit is not unforgivable because of something done unintentionally in the past, but because of something being done deliberately and unrelentingly in the present.

What Defines a Disciple of Jesus Christ?

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” {John 8:31}

Introduction
A disciple is a learner, a pupil or student; one who adheres to instruction, making what is taught the rule of conduct through life application. A disciple of Jesus Christ, by God’s grace, becomes more and more like Christ through a life of faith, and obedience.

Life Example
Have you ever met someone who claimed to be something, but acted another way?  Have you ever encountered someone who contradicted what they said they believed? If one’s actions contradict one’s words, which is true?  In Christ’s eyes, it is our actions that speak to what we believe. So, in following Him, we must hold to His teachings in our daily lives.

When we look at the New Testament Gospels, we see that those who followed Jesus truly were His disciples. Because of their love for Christ, many left their jobs, homes, and security to walk with Him as He ministered to people throughout Palestine. They had the benefit of walking with Christ in the flesh.  So, what does it look like now – with Christ risen and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us – to be Jesus’ disciple? What does it look like now – with Christ risen and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us – to be Jesus’ disciple?

Characteristics of a disciple of Jesus Christ:

1) A true disciple of the Jesus worships God.  If you are a new creation in Christ, you are someone who brings glory to God and recognizes His honor.

2) A disciple must be confident in the efficacy of Christ’s death and resurrection for his salvation.
He must know that he is a child of God and Christ dwells within him. {1 John 5:13}

3) A disciple walks in the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is responsible for everything that happens in the life of a believer—the new birth, daily walk, understanding of Scripture, prayer, etc.  He produces the fruit of the Spirit in us, which enables us to live holy lives and witness for Christ. {Galatians 5:22-25}

4) A disciple demonstrates love for God, neighbor, fellow disciples, and enemies.  Jesus commands us to love God with every fiber of our being and to love our neighbors as ourselves. 
{Matthew 5:43-48}

5) A disciple is one who knows how to read, study, memorize, and meditate upon the Word of God, to store its truths in his or her heart.  It is impossible to walk in the fullness of God’s Holy Spirit without understanding God’s Word.  The reverse is also true: you cannot understand God’s Word without the Holy Spirit. {Psalm 119}

6) A true disciple of Jesus is a man or woman of prayer. Jesus models throughout Scripture that communicating with God is one of the most important things in a Christian’s life. He models that those who are children of God seek the Father. {1 Thessalonians 5:17}

7) A disciple is one who obeys the commands of God in a lifestyle that honors Christ.
{James 1:22-25}

8) A disciple is one who trusts God and lives a life of faith. Scripture reminds us that, “without faith it is impossible to please God.” {Hebrews 11:6}

9) A disciple understands God’s grace.  God loves us unconditionally, whether we obey Him or not.  This is the opposite of legalism – a heretic way of thinking that urges us to try to obey God’s laws in our own wisdom, strength, and power. {Romans 5:1}

10) A disciple is one who witnesses for Christ as a way of life. If you love Jesus, you are spurred on to tell people about Him, testifying to what He has done in your life. {Matthew 5:16}

Life Application Questions
1) What are some characteristics of a true Christian disciple you are noticing in your own life?

2) What are some characteristics of a true Christian disciple that you struggle with?  Have you given that over to the Lord?

Memory verses regarding disciples and discipleship:
Luke 14:27
John 8:31
John 13:35