First Principles: Discipleship – Biblically defining what a true Christian is and how one is made through the instruction of Jesus Christ.

Purpose: To understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, and how that applies to your life. 

Q: What do you think a disciple is? A student and a follower.

MATTHEW 28:18-20 18Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ – NIVUK

• What is Jesus’ desire for every person? To become His disciple.
• Has your life mission been to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey?
• You need to be taught — to be made into a disciple.
• Disciples make disciples, baptize disciples, and teach other disciples to obey!
• Is this how you have been living?

ACTS 11:25-26 25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.  – NIVUK

• What is a more popular term — disciple or Christian? Jesus never used the term “Christian” to define His followers. Jesus defined His followers as disciples.
• Jesus’ disciples = Christians = Saved
• The word “Christian” only appears three times in the New Testament. It was a derogatory term given by the world to the disciples seven years after the church began. It was a term used after Jesus’ death to define His followers. (Acts 26:28)
• The word “disciple” occurs over 270 times in the New Testament. Let’s see how Jesus defines the term “disciple,” and then we will know the biblical lifestyle of a disciple.

MARK 1:14-18 14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’ 16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ 18At once they left their nets and followed him.  – NIVUK

• This is the calling of the first disciples.
• Disciples respond immediately when called!
• The call of a disciple was sacrificial — they dropped their “nets,” the things that could hold them back from following Jesus. What are your nets?
• The mission of a disciple of Jesus is to fish for people — to help save souls!
• Is this how you have been living?

LUKE 9:23-26 23Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. – NIVUK

• The call for all people is to put God’s will above their own.
• A disciple will “deny self” and be like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Matthew 26:36-39) What sins do you need to deny in your life?
• Take up your cross daily — what does that mean? The cross was a symbol of death — we must die to ourselves daily!
• If we are ashamed of Jesus, He will be ashamed of us.
• Is this how you have been living?

LUKE 14:25-33 25Large crowds were travelling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, even their own life – such a person cannot be my disciple. 27And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 ‘Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30saying, “This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.” 31 ‘Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. – NIVUK

• We cannot serve two masters — God must clearly be first.
• A disciple must be willing to reject sin in order to love God.
• Can you afford to be a disciple? Do you have the faith to finish the race? (verses 28-30)
• Can you afford not to be a disciple? (verses 31-33) We don’t make the terms — God does.
• Is this how you have been living?

LUKT 11:1-4 1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ 2He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: ‘ “Father,  hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ” ’  – NIVUK

• Jesus gives His disciples a template for prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (A.C.T.S.).
• We must learn to pray — just as the disciples saw the strength Jesus received from the Father
• We must have a daily personal relationship with God. (verse 3)
• Is this how you have been living?

MATTHEW 22:34-40 34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ 37Jesus replied: ‘ “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’ – NIVUK

• What does God expect when it comes to loving Him?
• Loving God is more than an emotional experience.
• We are called to love God and love our neighbors. (John 13:34-35 says this is how we show we are Jesus’ disciples.)
• Love is the foundation of the Bible. Do you desire to love God in this way?

MATTHEW 28:18-20 18Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ – NIVUK

• This command is for everyone — to make disciples of Jesus!
• Who is a candidate for baptism? Only disciples of Jesus.
• You need someone to disciple you toward maturity in Christ.
• This is the only way the world can be saved!