May30-Jun5: Discipleship

Followers and Leaders

1. Read Exodus 18:13–27.What principles of leadership can be found in these verses?

• Ex. 18:20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
• Ex. 18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

ANSWER:

• Leader is someone who can show and teach how to walk and how to work.
• Leadership role should be given to those with abilities.
• Leader should be someone who fears God, loves the truth, and hates covetousness.

2. How did Jesus describe His disciples in Matt. 12:49

• Matt. 12:49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

ANSWER:

• Part of His family; mother and brethren.

3. Who are His brother and mother?

• Matt. 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

ANSWER:

• Those that do the will of God

CONCLUSION:

• Good leaders are good followers. Good teachers are good learners. A true disciple does follow the will of God.

Marks of Discipleship

1. What did Jesus say regarding the condition to be His disciple? Read Luke 14:26, 27

• Luke 14:26 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. Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

ANSWER:

• Willing to bear the cross of sacrifice.

2. What could be the deeper meaning of “bear” your “cross”? Read Matt. 16:24

• Matt. 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

ANSWER:

• Deny yourself

3. How often should we take up the cross?

• Matt. 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
• Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

ANSWER:

• Daily denying self

4. Compare Matt. 11:28-30 with above texts and make observations.

• Matt. 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
• Matt. 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
• Matt. 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

OBSERVATIONS:

• In order to follow Christ we need to take up the cross or take up His yoke. Therefore the yoke is the cross.
• “Learn of Me”, this means we are His disciples. Therefore Jesus is inviting us to be His disciples in Matt. 11:28-30
• We need to learn the lesson of self-denial as His disciples. However in Matt. 11:28-30 we learn the lesson of meekness and lowliness which are basically same as denying self.
• Notice the promise of “rest” and His “yoke is easy” and His “burden is light”
• There is a “work” to do as a disciple but it is not hard and not heavy. Therefore there is much rest if we put on the yoke of Christ or take up the cross.

CONCLUSION:

• The main marks of discipleship are self-denial, sacrifice, meekness, humility, and rest.

Sacrifice and Suffering

1. What example in the life of Jesus should the disciples of Christ follow according to 1 Pet. 2:21-23?

• 1Pet. 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
• 1Pet. 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth

ANSWER:

• A life of suffering that leads to no sin and no guile.

2. What could we learn from the suffering of Jesus? Read 1 Pet. 4:1, 2

• 1Pet. 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin 1Pet. 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

ANSWER:

• No longer live in the flesh according to the flesh and lusts of men but to live according to the will of God. Willing to allow your fleshly lust to suffer want.

3. What could God do for us when we endure the suffering in the flesh? Read 1 Pet. 5:10

• 1Pet. 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

ANSWER:

• Make us perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle in the truth as it is in Jesus.

The Rewards of Discipleship

1. What could we look forward to when we endure suffering in this world?

• Rom. 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

ANSWER:

• The glory which shall be revealed in us

2. Read and observe 2 Cor. 3:18.

• 2Cor. 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

OBSERVATION:

• We are changed into the same image of Jesus from glory to glory if we behold His glory.

3. What does it mean when it says, “from glory to glory”? Observe 2 Cor. 4:6, 7 and 2 Cor. 4:14, 17.

• 2Cor. 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2Cor. 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
• 2Cor. 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. 2Cor. 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory

ANSWER:

• From character to character. The growing process for all disciples of Christ.

OBSREVATION:

• “From glory” which is the first glory “to glory” which is the second glory.
• The first glory is the glory of Jesus which is the character of Christ in our “earthen vessels”
• The second glory is the eternal glory, which is the glorified body that Jesus will give to us at the Second Coming.

NOTICE:

• Notice the suffering aspect in between the first glory and the second glory.
• 2Cor. 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 2Cor. 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 2Cor. 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

CONCLUSION:

• Christ invites His people to enter into the school of Christ, to be His disciple
• The requirement to enter into His school is to wear the yoke of Jesus, which is willing to take up the cross of self-surrender and to follow Jesus.
• The disciples of Christ learn to reflect the character of Jesus (the first glory).
• In order to deepen the character of Christ is His disciples, God takes them through the school of suffering.
• For their graduation from earthly school, Jesus gives them eternal glory (the second glory) which is immortal body.
• And then we enter into the school in heaven.

The Lordship of Jesus Christ

1.What is the key element that reveals how genuine we are in calling Jesus “Lord”? Matt 7:21, 22, 23; Luke 6:46.

• Matt. 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven Matt. 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Matt. 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
• Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

ANSWER:

• Doing the will of God
  

2. How to know the will of God?

• Rom. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Rom. 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

ANSWER:

• Present your bodies as a living sacrifice
• Do not conformed to this world
• Be transformed in your mind

3. What is the will of God?

• 1Th. 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication
• 1Th. 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
• 1Pet. 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men
• Psa. 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

APPLICATION QUESTION:

• How do the above verses apply to disciples or followers of Jesus?

4. Observe the following text.

• Mark 3:35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother

OBSERVATION:

• True disciples of Jesus are a part of the family of Jesus!