What is discipleship?  Being a disciple in Christianity is to be a student of Jesus Christ. Discipleship is the training of a student or pupil to be Like Jesus. Learning to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is not an easy task. Jesus told us that in becoming a disciple one must count the cost. There are two elements that are found to be key in discipleship. These two elements are found in John 14:15; If ye love me, keep my commandments. love and obedience are the key elements in being a disciple. A person cannot be a disciple if they do not love all people and they cannot be a disciple if they are not obedient. A disciple is one willing to be instructed, trained and disciplined in order to become like their master in thought, attitude, and action.

 

Counting the cost of Discipleship

 

Luke 14:25-33

25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

 

Let’s make sure we understand this, there is No cost in becoming a Christian. Salvation is a free gift according to:

Romans 5:15-19

15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

 

Ephesians 2:8

 

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

 

But there is a cost to becoming a disciple!

The cost is your whole life! Jesus encourages us to count the cost first. We are to weigh the value of our life and see if it is worth what God gives us in return. The cost of discipleship is not that of great sacrifice but rather weighing up the value of living for oneself against the value of living for God.

 

The conditions of discipleship

 

2 Corinthians 5:14-17

 

14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

We must be willing to meet certain conditions if we desire to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. We must be willing to:

 

• Give the Lord total ownership and priority (Matthew 10:37)

• Follow the Lord wherever He leads.(Matthew 10:38-39)

• Be willing to give up the comforts of life. (Matthew 8:19-20)

 

All that we are and all that we have belongs to the Lord.

 

Read Luke 14:16-24

Note the excuses people gave for not obeying the call:

• Possessions (verse 18)

• Work (verse 19)

• Family (verse 20)

All that God asks from us is to be willing to put Him first in everything. God then responds to our willingness with his grace, and we soon find that we are not only willing to do God’s will, but also want to. God’s grace then anoints our desire and helps us to actually do what God calls us to do!

 

 

Marks of a disciple

The marks of a disciple of the Lord Jesus are very distinctive, because a disciple takes on the character of his Master:

 

• Submission (John 8:28-31)

• Perseverance (Luke 9:62; Acts 14:22; 1 Peter 2:19-23)

• Obedience (John 14:21; Hebrews 5:7-8)

• Faithfulness (Hebrews 3:1-2)

• Fruitfulness (John 15:8)

• A servant heart (Matthew 20:20-28)

• Humility (John 13:1-6)

• Love for one another (John 13:34-35)

 

As Jesus himself said in Matthew 10:24-25:

24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

The Questions now are:

• Are you willing?

• Will you count the cost?

• Is giving up your life worth it for what Jesus offers to you?

 

Will you become a Disciple of Jesus Christ?