Step Up to Discipleship

"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be My disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.

"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'

"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If 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. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple. Luke 14:26, 34

Rev. Charles Crabtree, Assistant General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God rightly states that the church has 3 major purposes:

1. Evangelism

2. Discipleship

3. Worship

Evangelism:

Without evangelism, the church dies! We must complete the work God has called us to do.

“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Jesus speaking, Mark 16:15, 16

Discipleship:

Without Discipleship the church becomes meaningless!

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Worship:

Without true worship lives are not transformed and the church loses its power.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1, 2

Worshiping God is more than singing in church and hearing the word of God preached, although that is a basis of worship. True worship is a life style, our manner of living outside the church. True worship is how we live between Sundays!

Jesus is worthy of worship!

He is Lord!

He is God!

He gave His all for us!

Today Jesus is asking us to give our all to Him!

If this sounds like sacrifice, you are right on target! He instructed us to “take up our cross daily and follow Him.” His cross – and our personal cross carrying must be the central part of our theology!

Crabtree also stated that in this day and time the “True Alternative Life Style” is a life devoted to “serving Jesus Christ with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves!”

With that background, this morning we will look at what I describe as the three levels of Christian service to God.

1. The believer. This is the person who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Paul and Silas told the Macedonian Jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household.” Acts 16:31

2. The committed believer. Some call this level sanctification; others call it receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Either way, at this level we have been empowered by the Holy Spirit and practice one or more of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as described in I Corinthians 12. This Christian has power with God and with man.

3. The disciple. (Which we will emphasize this morning)

4. The Apostle. All Christians are called to discipleship; Christian leaders are called to apostleship. In our social structure, this is the person that heads up denominations. However, I believe it is a special level of ministry that today often calls people out of denominations into true Christian leadership.

This morning my challenge to everyone – especially myself – is to step up to discipleship! How do you explain, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be My disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:26) Or, (Luke 14:34) “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.”

First, why do we need disciples?

After all, we have a pastor and church council to take care of everything, do we not? Ephesians 4:11-13 tells us that God set the following offices in place to prepare the saints for their work of ministry.

“It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Pastors are to be shepherds, teachers, exhorters and role models. We won’t read the scriptures right now – they are listed in your bulletin insert – but in Acts 6 the Holy Spirit directed the church to appoint deacons – men full of the Holy Spirit – to run the church so the apostles would have time and energy to devote to prayer and study of the word.

In Acts 8:1 it says “And all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.” Those who were scattered spread the gospel. The Apostles were sent to establish the churches that those who were scattered started!

I sincerely believe that it is time for the members of our local church – the Peace UCC – to step up to a new level of service to God. Over the last 12 years we have established who we are and determined what we are not.

We know where we are headed and what we believe.

We are the body of Christ and a spiritual family.

Although I do not consider myself an apostle – being a pastor/teacher is enough responsibility – there are some areas I would appreciate help with so I will have more time and energy to devote to prayer, preaching and visitation.

It is my sincere prayer that God will either call members of this church to the following ministries – or bring us people who are eager to work as:

1. Evangelism

2. Visitation

3. Sunday school – the best discipleship program in the church

4. Music – yourself, or help others develop their talent

5. Men’s Fellowship

6. Ministry

If you feel a nudge in any of these areas, consider it from God unless He tells you otherwise!

Luke 14:26, Jesus speaking:

Luke 14:33, Jesus speaking:

In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.

These are rather strong words! Hate our families? Give up everything for Jesus? What is God thinking?

First, Jesus is talking about discipleship, not apostleship. Every Christian should aspire to being a “disciple.”

Secondly, “hate” in this situation means “love less.” I have two dogs, “Mack” and “Mollie.” Cute little guys and I love them. We feed them, care for them, and take them to the Vet when necessary.

But my love for them pales in comparison to my love for my family. By the same token, our love for family should pale in comparison to our love for Christ.

When I asked my wife how to explain this intensity of love she replied, "Start with family. You know how much you love them! Then build on that." As we visited we also discussed how wonderful it is to have the kids come home at Christmas – and how we enjoy the grandchildren… but, admit it, don’t we sort of relax as they head toward home?

Our family can drain our energy after awhile – but God always supplies the strength, wisdom and energy we need!

In reality, most of us are capable of more love than we think. A mother with 12 children can love each child with the same intensity as a mother of one can love that child.

Jesus criticized those who refused to care for their parents because their belongings were “devoted to God.” He called them hypocrites!

Paul told wrote: “But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Timothy 5:8 KJV)

So, how intense is our love?

One of the Ten Commandments is to honor our mother and our father – the first commandment with promise. Because Jacob loved Rebecca more than Leah, Leah had the first child and her son Judah is in the lineage of Jesus.

The scripture says, “Jacob I have loved, Esau I hated.” However that does not keep Esau out of heaven – and Esau had so many goods that when Jacob offered him wealth and servants Esau said, “I have plenty – keep your goods.”

So God was setting the example for us.

As far as giving up everything, this does not mean live in poverty. It means to acknowledge the ownership of God. But we are still responsible for what God gives us. We can enjoy it and make it prosper. But if God calls for it, we are to give it cheerfully. That starts with tithes and offerings, but it can expand far beyond that.

What, then does it mean to “Step Up to Discipleship?” It means that we can finally say that we have reached that place in our walk with God where we can pray with confidence, “Lord, I’m willing to do anything You ask of me, knowing that even though it will stretch me, the Holy Spirit will empower me do to it. In fact, Lord, I’m making that offer right now!”

Pastor Leon