To Be A Disciple of Jesus

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Matthew 16:24
Psalters: 383, 164, 187, 316
Confession of Faith
  1. The concept.
    1. Discipleship is ?come after me.?
      1. First, a disciple is a pupil who learns from a teacher by listening and watching.
      2. Second, a disciple is an adherent.
    2. A disciple ?of Jesus.?
      1. To come after Jesus (Savior) is to declare that I need Him to save me because of my sins and sinfulness.
      2. To follow Jesus is to admit that we are nothing of ourselves.
  2. The characteristics.
    1. ?Let him deny himself,? i.e., be willing to make oneself nothing.
      1. It is putting to death self-importance, self-absorption, self-satisfaction, self-centeredness (Lk. 14:26,33; Gal. 5:24).
      2. But it is never to end in itself - it must always lead an equal measure of living unto Him who died for me (II Cor. 5:15).
      3. Self-denial is universal, and perpetual.
    2. ?Take up his cross? (six times in gospel narratives).
      1. Our ?cross? means suffering, pain and even dying (hurt, but not in the sense of atoning).
      2. Most important is to see that this is an intentional act which distinguishes Christ?s followers from the world.
    3. ?Follow Me.?
      1. This refers to coming behind Jesus in the sense of accompanying Him.
      2. Peter was going to lead (22), but Jesus told him to get behind Him, Satan.
  3. There is great blessedness in this, in spite of what it appears to be.
    1. To follow Jesus does mean self-denial and a cross and blind following, but it more than that!!
    2. Gain the perspective that our suffering is a part of His wonderful, loving care of us.
      1. Knowing that we have a place in glory encourages us as we suffer now.
      2. As Christ?s humiliation led to His exaltation unto everlasting life (Phil. 2:8-11), so will ours (Luke 18:29,30).