To Be A Disciple of Jesus
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
9/30/2012 PM
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Text:
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Matthew 16:24
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Psalters: |
383, 164, 187, 316 |
Confession of Faith |
- The concept.
- Discipleship is ?come after me.?
- First, a disciple is a pupil who learns from a teacher by listening and watching.
- Second, a disciple is an adherent.
- A disciple ?of Jesus.?
- To come after Jesus (Savior) is to declare that I need Him to save me because of my sins and sinfulness.
- To follow Jesus is to admit that we are nothing of ourselves.
- The characteristics.
- ?Let him deny himself,? i.e., be willing to make oneself nothing.
- It is putting to death self-importance, self-absorption, self-satisfaction, self-centeredness (Lk. 14:26,33; Gal. 5:24).
- 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).
- Self-denial is universal, and perpetual.
- ?Take up his cross? (six times in gospel narratives).
- Our ?cross? means suffering, pain and even dying (hurt, but not in the sense of atoning).
- Most important is to see that this is an intentional act which distinguishes Christ?s followers from the world.
- ?Follow Me.?
- This refers to coming behind Jesus in the sense of accompanying Him.
- Peter was going to lead (22), but Jesus told him to get behind Him, Satan.
- There is great blessedness in this, in spite of what it appears to be.
- To follow Jesus does mean self-denial and a cross and blind following, but it more than that!!
- Gain the perspective that our suffering is a part of His wonderful, loving care of us.
- Knowing that we have a place in glory encourages us as we suffer now.
- As Christ?s humiliation led to His exaltation unto everlasting life (Phil. 2:8-11), so will ours (Luke 18:29,30).