Jesus is not looking for lukewarm disciples, He is looking for those who are willing to leave everything behind and lay down their lives for Him and for the gospel. Do you really want to be His disciple? Here is what you must do.
Matthew 4:18-22
"And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him."
Luke 9:23-26
“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 Father’s, and of the holy angels.”
Being a disciple of Jesus is a lifestyle, it’s an everyday relationship of love, discipline, sacrifice, praise, prayer, bible study, and self denial. We must be willing to not only let go of our lives in this world, but also make hard decisions that may cost us the fellowship of friends and family in order to follow Jesus.
Matthew 10:34-39
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 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.”
Jesus tells us not to love anyone or anything in this world more than Him.
Mark 10:28-30
“Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.” So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.”
Jesus promises His disciples who leave behind their families, friends, and lands for His sake, and the gospel’s, will receive a hundredfold in this time, along with persecutions and in the age to come they will inherit eternal life.
John 8:31-32
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Jesus said IF we abide in His word we are His disciples, He didn’t say to abide in another man's or woman’s word, but His. We are not even to lean on our own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;”
John 14:15-16
"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—“
Jesus said that IF we love Him we will obey what He commands. We cannot even receive the Holy Spirit without being obedient to Him.
Acts 5:30-32
“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Without self denial, obedience, and self sacrifice we cannot be His disciples, we will start to build and not be able to finish. We must understand the true cost that we must pay to follow Jesus. He paid the ultimate price for us all, and His disciples are called to follow His example and walk as He walked. Will you follow Jesus? Will you accept the call of discipleship? The choice is yours.
With Love In Christ,
Tyrone
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