What Disciples Do

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What Disciples Do

• Matthew 2818-20

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And Jesus came and spoke to them saying,
All authority has been given to Me in heaven and
on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all
the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have
commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even
to the end of the age. Amen Matthew 2818-20
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Introduction

• There is a BIG difference between being a
  disciple and merely being what the world would
  call a church member.
• Jesus desires disciples not merely admirers.
• Unlike mere admiration of Christ, discipleship
  requires something called commitment.
• What is it then that disciples do?

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Disciples Follow Christ

• We do not follow the church nor any man!
• The invitation of Christ is to follow Him, that
  is to go with Him wherever He goes Follow Me
  and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew
  419).
• The Lord asks us to sign a blank contract with
  Him We make the commitment, and then He begins
  to reveal what will actually be involved in
  keeping the commitment. There must be no
  strings attached in our commitment to follow
  Christ.
• If we truly desire to follow Christ, we must deny
  ourselves, take up our cross (Matthew 1624), and
  serve Him (John 1226).

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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. Matthew
1624
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.
John 1226
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Disciples Study Christ

• A disciple is a learner. Learning as a student
  is at the heart of what discipleship means.
• Jesus' invitation to us says, Learn from Me
  (Matthew 1128-30).
• We are the students of the Greatest Teacher!
• The Hebrew word for disciple is talmid (pl.
  talmidim) and means one who wants to be like
  his teacher. How powerful is this understanding!
• What we are called to learn is not merely a body
  of information, but Christ Himself Jeremiah
  923,24.

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Thus says the Lord Let not the wise man
glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory
in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his
riches But let him who glories glory in this,
that he understands and knows Me, that I am the
Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and
righteousness in the earth. For in these I
delight, says the Lord Jeremiah 923-24
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Disciples Obey Christ

• Matthew 2820 The disciples made by the
  apostles preaching were to be taught. Taught
  what? to observe all things that I have
  commanded you.
• Obedience is often considered a negative concept.
  To obey such a benevolent Master as Christ
  should be considered a privilege.
• Jesus said, If you love me, keep My
  commandments. (John 1415).
• Notice His relationship to those who obey Him

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And having been perfected, He became the
author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him
Hebrews 59
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Disciples Imitate Christ

• We are to imitate Christ, that is to pattern
  ourselves after Him (Talmid).
• 1 John 26 He who says he abides in Him ought
  himself also to walk just as He walked.
• 1 Peter 221-25.

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For to this you were called, because Christ
also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that
you should follow His steps Who committed no
sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth who,
when He was reviled, did not revile in return
when He suffered, He did not threaten, but
committed Himself to Him who judges righteously
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the
tree, that we, having died to sins, might live
for righteousness by whose stripes you were
healed. For you were like sheep going astray,
but have now returned to the Shepherd and
Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 221-25
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Disciples Imitate Christ

• We are to imitate Christ, that is to pattern
  ourselves after Him (Talmid).
• 1 John 26 He who says he abides in Him ought
  himself also to walk just as He walked.
• 1 Peter 221-25.

• Jesus example must be our pattern
• John 1315 For I have given you an example,
  that you should do as I have done to you.
• Our lives as disciples are to be worthy of
  imitation
• 1 Corinthians 111 Imitate me, just as I also
  imitate Christ.

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Disciples Possess Self-discipline

• We can easily see the kinship of the words
  disciple and discipline.
• Discipline means trained to follow.
• Discipleship without discipline is silly and
  illogical you cant have one without the other!
• What can you do to promote self-discipline?
• Daily Bible Readings/Devotions/Meditations.
• Pray without ceasing.
• Spend more time with Christians than with
  non-Christians.
• Keep a journal of your spiritual thoughts.

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In Conclusion

• To follow Christ as a disciple involves
  sacrifice, that is the bearing of our own cross
• Luke 923-26

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Then He said to them all, If anyone desires
to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever
desires to save his life will lose it, but
whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the
whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him
the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in
His own glory, and in His Fathers, and of the
holy angels. Luke 923-26
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In Conclusion

• To follow Christ as a disciple involves
  sacrifice, that is the bearing of our own cross
• Luke 923-26

• Have we counted the cost of real discipleship?
• Luke 1417-30
• Luke 957-62

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And whoever does not bear his cross and come
after Me 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. Luke
1427-30
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Now it happened as they journeyed on the
road, that someone said to Him, Lord, 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 He said to another, Follow Me.
But he said, Lord, let me first go and bury my
father. Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury
their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom
of God. And another also said, Lord, I will
follow You, but let me first go and bid them
farewell who are at my house. But Jesus said to
him, No one, having put his hand to the plow,
and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Luke 957-62
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In Conclusion

• To follow Christ as a disciple involves
  sacrifice, that is the bearing of our own cross
• Luke 923-26

• Have we counted the cost of real discipleship?
• Luke 1417-30
• Luke 957-62

• But also, have we counted the ultimate cost of
  non-discipleship?
• Matthew 1038-39

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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. Matthew 1038-39
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The invitation of Jesus Christ is now extended
to you!
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Come unto Me, all you who labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle
and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is
light. Matthew 1128-30