7 April 2024

THE MARKS OF DISCIPLESHIP

(Going Forward in Christ: GFIC 14)

The Lord Jesus looked for and chose disciples for His Kingdom. Disciples are committed followers and not just adherents. Disciples are committed to Him as their Lord and to His Kingdom cause. That is why in the Great Commission He told them to “go and make disciples of all peoples … and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt.28:19). A born-again Christian should immediately seek to become a disciple in order to be walking in the will and purpose of God.

What are the characteristics or marks of a disciple? The Lord Himself tells us what they are in Luke 14:25-33. These are given in the negative form but tell us how demanding they are.

1. TOTAL DEVOTION TO CHRIST:
v.26: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple”.

Our own life and our blood relations are most important to us and they hold an important place in our hearts. But Jesus said that we must “hate” them if we want to be His disciples. This word “hate” is used in contrast to utter devotion to Christ. It is a Hebraic idiom to mean that our love for God must be so great that our love for our loved ones in comparison may seem to be like hate. We must put Christ first and our loved one second.

2. TOTAL SURRENDER TO CHRIST:
v.27: “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be My disciple”.

Bearing the cross not only means suffering for Christ; it also means to die for Christ. In the days of the New Testament, criminals sentenced to death had to carry their own crosses to the place of execution. Hence Jesus had to carry His cross to Calvary to be crucified. Following Jesus involves suffering for His sake and perhaps even to die for Him and His cause. That is total surrender to His Lordship – to follow Him even unto death. Not to do so is being a nominal Christian which is unacceptable to God.

3. TOTAL SACRIFICE FOR CHRIST:
v.33: “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple”.

To “forsake all” is the willingness to give up everything for Christ in order to obey His will and command. So many of us hold dear and fast to our wealth, career and status in life. We worked so hard to get there – to be in the limelight. But when Christ the Lord calls us to give them up to serve Him; it means the willingness to make sacrifices for Him. Are we willing? C.T. Studd was an Oxford Scholar and a national Cricket player. He was at the prime of his carreer. But he gave up everything to obey God’s call to be a missionary in Africa. People were shocked at his “sacrifice”. But he said, “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him’. May we be able to say the same. 

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