TOPIC:‌“Genuine Christian Discipleship” (Lenten Sunday)

                 by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌Matthew 10:24-34

 

‌‌“The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord”

‌‌(Matthew 10:24)

 

‌It is interesting as we study our Bible to find that Jesus never addressed His converts as Christians. As a matter of fact, no one else called them Christians until sometime after the ascension of Christ. Then we read in Acts 11:26 these words: “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” The word “Christian” means “one in whom Christ dwells.” Here believers stopped calling themselves “Jews,” “Greeks” and “Gentiles.” They took the name of Christ. They were Christ-indwelt ones.

 

‌But Jesus called His converts disciples. I believe there was a divine purpose behind that action. A disciple is a follower. A disciple is a learner. A disciple is one who learns how to live in the spirit of Jesus. A spirit of humbleness, meekness, forgiveness, and charitableness. To be sure there are many disciples who do not exhibit the spirit of Jesus. They are not humble. They are not meek. They are not charitable, and they are not forgiving. That's to their detriment.

 

‌Now the question arises, What does a disciple learn? The answer is a disciple learns what it means to be a genuine follower of Christ. They learn what it is that distinguishes true discipleship. At the beginning of this Lenten season let us now seek out those unchangeable standards from Christ Himself by which we may test our discipleship to see if it is free from pretense. Let's begin the test.

 

I.

 

‌First of all, there is the test of TAKING UP the CROSS. Turn with me to Luke 14 verses 26 and 27: “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciples. And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Now those are demanding words by our Lord.

 

‌Now Christ is not teaching that we as His disciples must literally hate those listed in verse 26. What He is setting forth is this matter of priority and loyalty. Christ is declaring the truth that He must come first in one's life. We get insight into what Jesus meant when He declares in Matthew 10:37 these words: “He that loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” Here Jesus is stating that in order to be His disciple we must love Him far more than any other individual or any other thing.

. . .