01-27-08 #Disciple Bible Study titled: "To Be A Disciple"

[Disciple]

COMPELLED BY LOVE
# 2- “To Be A Disciple"
2 Corinthians 5:14, Matthew 28:18-20
Intro
When Jesus left the marching orders for the church, He instructed the apostles to “make disciples”
In these words of Jesus we find the purpose and the goal of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is to make disciples. Preaching and teaching the gospel, evangelizing, must have the purpose and goal of making disciples for the Lord.
I am compelled by the love of Jesus Christ for me to be a disciple. Are you a disciple? More than likely you are a believer in Jesus. More than likely you are a regular attendee at the church services.
But do these things alone make me a disciple? Is believing in Jesus and attending the church services all that is required to be a disciple of Jesus?
I. What Does It Mean To Be A Disciple?
The word “disciple” literally means “a learner”
Vine’s Expository Dictionary of N.T. Words- “denotes one who follows the teachings of another”
There is a two-fold idea behind the word disciple. Not only is a disciple one who learns, but a disciple is also one who follows. A disciple is one who adheres to the teacher and the teachers. This explains why disciples were often spoken of as being imitators of their teachers
John 8:31
This joins perfectly with God’s plan for us after we are saved. God wants us to become like Jesus.
Romans 8:39
Do you have a strong desire to follow Jesus and learn from Him and become like Him? Unless you do, it cannot be said that you are truly His disciple.
II. Marks of a Disciple
Let’s consider some of the “identifying” marks of discipleship given by Jesus. A disciple holds to Jesus’ teaching.
John 8:31
To hold to the teachings of Jesus suggests to us being diligent in our study of His word. It also implies being a “doer of the word” James 1:21-25
The translation of the NIV here “hold to” does not really give us the intended thought. The KJV translates this as “abide in my word”. It expresses the idea of remaining or continuing or living in Jesus’ words.
This expresses the idea that to be a disciple we need to be in a continuous, living relationship with Jesus. A disciple, holding to the teachings of Jesus, is diligent in the study of the word and takes advantage of those opportunities when the word is taught.
A disciple loves like Jesus loved.
John 13:34-35
There are a couple of significant thoughts to note about this loving of one another.
It is to be patterned after the love of Jesus. “As I have loved you, so you must love one another”. This talks to us about the quality of our love. This is unselfish love. This is self-giving love. This is love without expectations of returned affection. This is pure love that acts simply out of a conviction that the right thing must be done for another person. This is the kind of love that is missing in our society.
It is to be a visible love. “By this all men will know you are my disciples…” Because this kind of love is missing in our society, we can understand the need for Christians to love each other in this way. The demonstration of this kind of love from us will cause the unbelieving world to sit up and take notice. We are not disciples because we love. But if we are disciples of Jesus, loving one another is not an option for us. This is Jesus’ new command.
We need to remember that we are to love one another just as Jesus loved us. Did Jesus make sacrifice of himself and his time and his energy to love us? Then we are to do the same toward our brothers today.
A disciple bears much fruit.
John 15:8
We need to pay attention to the fact that Jesus said “much fruit”. Bearing fruit is not speaking of an occasional good deed that we do. But rather a lifestyle that causes people to glorify God. How important is it that we bear much fruit? You can see in John 15:1-2, that the failure to bear fruit causes us to be cut off from the vine. To be severed and separated from Jesus Christ. How can we possibly be disciples if we are cut off from Jesus because of a lack of bearing fruit?
To be a disciple of Jesus Christ requires COMMITMENT. We are committed to: the teachings of Christ, the love for one another as Christ love us, and the bearing of much fruit to the glory of God.
III. How Can I Become A Disciple
Let’s look at what Jesus says about becoming a disciple.
According to Matthew 28:19, discipleship begins with and involved baptism.
Why do we begin at baptism? Let’s remember the goal of discipleship is to become like Jesus. He was holy and sinless. We are sinners, but we are to become like Him. This is where baptism comes into play in our relationship to Him. According to the Scriptures, it is in the act of being baptized that we make contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ so we can be forgivin our sins.
Acts 22:16
Romans 6:4
We also see that is through being baptized that we “put on Jesus Christ”
Galatians 3:27
Baptism is the logical starting place to become a disciple. How do the Scriptures define and describe baptism?
Baptism is an act of submission that is preceded by faith in Jesus and repentance from sin. Acts 8:36-37 Eunuch said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
This eliminates infant baptism. Infants cannot believe and neither do they have sins from which to repent. Baptism is an act of submission involving a burial and rising to a new life.
Romans 6:4
This eliminates sprinkling or pouring as being baptism. Neither of these are pictures of a “burial” nor a “rising”. Baptism is an act of faith on our part to obey God’s commands that brings to us the wonderful results of forgiveness and new life.
But let me remind you that baptism is only the beginning of discipleship. We note that Jesus also said
Matthew 28:20
After baptism, Jesus’ teachings and obedience must follow. This brings us back to the original definition we gave for disciple: A disciple is one who is learning and following
We are to be taught the Word of God. This is learning.
We are to obey everything Jesus commanded. This is our following Jesus. It shows that we are submitted to His Lordship over us and that we are truly His disciples.
Conclusion
I have shown you how to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. And now I encourage you to become His disciple.
Let me quickly hasten to say there is a high cost.
Jesus said that He must be first in our living. Luke 14:26 We cannot love anyone more that we love Him.
Jesus said that we must be willing to suffer for Him. Luke 14:27 Living a godly life in this world can be costly to us and lead to persecution.
Jesus said that we must forsake all to follow Him Luke 14:33 Give up everything he has. Jesus must be the King and the Lord of our lives.
A high cost, sure, but when we consider the high cost that Jesus paid in dying on the cross to save us, aren’t we compelled by that love to be His disciples?

[jbndenver]

The fact that Jesus died for us and collected all our sins for the sacrifice is well written by Andrew Bonar 1864 I'm pretty sure. its available in mp3 google it. but the words I will copy here. Its excellent, makes my heart break with appreciation.The Cup of Wrath
Psalm 75:8
Andrew Bonar


I. The Cup of Wrath.

The general idea of the verse is, that there is wrath against sin to be manifested by God, terrible beyond conception. As it is written by God, terrible beyond conception. As it is written in Ezek 18:4, �The soul that sinneth, it shall die;� and Psalm 7:11,12: �God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not He will whet His sword; He hath bent His bow, and made it ready. He hath prepared for him the instruments of death.� In Psalm 11:6: �Upon the wicked He shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this is the portion of their cup. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness.� In Psalm 21:9: �Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of Thine anger.� In Job 36:18: �Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke; then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.� In Romans 2:5 we read, �Thou treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;� and in Revelation 14:9,10�: If any man worship the beast, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of His holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.� Can words be found more emphatic to express God's indignation at man's sin?

�A cup� is spoken of. A measured out portion. (Psalm 11:6 and Psalm 16:5: �The Lord is the portion of my cup�). It is frequently used to express a full amount; as when fulfiment of curse is called the �cup of trembling,� Isaiah 51:22; and in Ezekiel 23:31, wrath upon Samaria is, �the cup of Samaria.� God's wrath shall be given forth in a measured portion, deliberately and fairly considered. There shall be nothing of caprice, nothing arbitrary, in God's judgment on sin; all shall be fairly adjusted. Here are the sins; there is the cup, of a size proportioned to the sin, and full. God's perfections direct and dictate the filling of it.

It is �a cup of red wine.� He elsewhere calls it �The wine of my fury;� and Revelation 16:19, it is �Wine of the fierceness of His wrath.� In the East, red wine was usually the strongest; but besides, the fiery nature of the contents is indicated by the color. This �red wine� is pressed out of the grapes by the divine attributes. It must be the concentrated essence of wrath; no weak potion, but one like that in Jeremiah 25:16, where they �drink, and are moved, and are mad;� or that in Ezekiel 23:33: �A cup deep and large; it containeth much; a cup of astonishment and desolation, filled with drunkenness and sorrow.�

It is �full of mixture.�—This signifies that the wine's natural quality has been strengthened; its force has been intensified by various ingredients cast into it. Such is the sense of �mingled wine� in Isaiah 5:22, and in Proverbs 9:5, �Come, drink of the wine which I have mingled.� We must distinguish this from the expression �without mixture,� in Revelation 14:10, where the speaker means to say, that there is no infusion of water to weaken the strength of the wine. Here there is everything that may enhance the bitterness of the cup; and let us ask, What may be these various ingredients? From every side of the lost sinner's nature forms of misery shall arise. The body, as well as the soul, shall be steeped in never-ending anguish, amid the unceasing wretchedness of eternal exile and lonely imprisonment. Further, each attribute of Godhead casts something into the cup. Righteousness is there; so that the rich man in hell (Luke 16) dare not hint that his torment is too great. Mercy and Love stand by and cast on it their ray, testifying that the sinner was dealt with in longsuffering, and salvation placed within his reach. O the aggravation which this thought will lend to misery. Omnipotence contributes to it; the lost man in the hands of the Almighty is utterly helpless, weak as a worm. Eternity is an ingredient, telling that this wrath endures as long as God lives. And truth is there, declaring that all this is what God spoke, and so cannot be altered without overturning His throne. Yet more: while shame and contempt, and the consciousness of being disowned by every holy being, fiercely sting the soul, there are ingredients cast in by the sinner himself. His conscience asserts and attests that this woe is all deserved, and the man loathes himself. Memory recalls past opportunities and times of hope despised. Sin goes on increasing, and passions rage; cravings gnaw the unsatisfied soul with eternal hunger. It may be that every particular sin will contribute to the mixture—a woe for broken Sabbaths; a woe for lusts gratified; a woe for every act of drunkenness, and every falsehood and dishonesty; a woe for every rejected invitation, and every threatening disregarded. Who can tell what more may be meant by the words: �Full of mixture?�

It has �dregs� in it. The dregs lie at the bottom, out of sight, but are the bitterest. Do these mean hidden woes not yet conceived of by any? Such as may be hinted at in the words, �Better he had never been born?� Such as Christ's woes seem to speak of? These shall be the reverse of the saved man's joys, �which never have entered the heart� to imagine. Backsliders seem sometimes to have begun to taste these dregs. Apostates, like Sipra, have shown a little of what they may be. But oh, the reality in the ages to come! For it shall be the wrath of Him whose breath makes the mountains smoke, and rocks earth to its center. O the staggering madness of despair!

�He poureth out of the same.� �The wicked shall wring them out and drink them.� They are not meant to be merely shown; this is not a cup whose contents shall only be exhibited and then withdrawn. No, the wicked must �drink them� and cannot refuse. When Socrates, the Athenian sage, was adjudged to drink the cup of poison, he was able to protest his innocence, and thus to abate the bitterness of the draught, though he took it as awarded by the laws of his country. Here, however, there shall be nothing like protest, nothing of and such alleviation of the awful draught which the sinner must drink. �God poureth out,� and the guilty soul �shall wring out and drink� the very dregs. Job 27:22, says �They would fain flee out of his hand,� but cannot, for it is written, �God shall cast upon him and not spare.� In Jeremiah 25:15, we have the Lord most peremptorily commanding, �Take the wine-cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee to drink it. And they shall drink, and be moved and be mad.� And further, He insists, verse 28, �If they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Ye shall certainly drink.� �They shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty� (Job 21:20). And what mean those words already quoted in Revelation 14:10, 11? It shall not, on God's part, be a mere silent feeling of indignation at sin; there must be infliction of curse. There is no thunder while the electricity sleeps in the cloud. The seven seals showed no deliverance for earth while unbroken; the seven trumpets summoned no avengers, till sounded; the seven vials brought down no judgment, while only held in the angels' hands. Ah yes, the penalty must be exacted, and it will require eternity to exact it all!

O fellow-sinner, we have tried to say somewhat of this doom; but what are words of man? You have seen a porous vessel, in which was fine flavored liquor? outside you tasted the moisture, and it gave a slight idea of what was within; but slight indeed. So our words today. And remember each new sin of yours will throw in more mixture. It is the merciful One Himself who speaks in Ezekiel 22:13,14: �Behold I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee. Can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the Lord have spoken it and will do it.� It is dreadful to read and hear this proclamation of wrath; but it is all given in order to compel us to flee from it. As one of our poets (Montgomery) sings:

�Mercy hath writ the lines of judgment here;
None who from the earth can read them need despair.�

II. The story of One who drank this cup to the dregs.

We would not leave you merely contemplating the terrors of that wrath. We go on, in connection with it, to speak of one whose history has a strange bearing on our case.

There has been only One who has ever �drunk this cup to its dregs.� Cain has been drinking it for 5,000 years and finds his punishment greater than he can bear, but has not come to the dregs. Judas had been drinking it for nearly 2000 years, often crying out with a groan that shakes hell, �Oh that I had never been born! Oh that I had never seen or heard of the Lord Jesus Christ!� But he has not reached the dregs. The fallen angels have not come near the dregs: for they have not arrived at the judgment of the Great Day. The only One who has taken, tasted, drunk, and wrung out the bitterest of the bitter dregs, has been the Judge Himself, the Lord Jesus!

You know how often, when on earth, He spoke of it. �Are ye able to drink the cup that I shall drink of?� (Matt 20:22). �The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?� (John 17:11). In Psalm 88:15, �I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: I suffer thy terrors: I am distracted.� The universe saw Him with it at His lips. It was our cup of trembling; the cup in which the wrath due to the �multitude which no man can number� was mingled. What wrath, what woe! A few drops made Him cry, �Now is my soul troubled!� In the garden, the sight of it wrung out the strange, mysterious words, �Sorrowful unto death!� though God-man, He staggered at what He saw, and went on trembling. Next day, on Calvary, He drank it all. I suppose the three hours of darkness may have been the time when He �was wringing out the dregs�; for then arose from His broken heart the wail that so appealed to the heart of the Father, �My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?� As He ended the last drop, and cried out, �It is finished,� we may believe angels felt an inconceivable relief—and even the Father Himself! So tremendous was the wrath and curse!—the wrath and curse due to our sin.

In all this, there was nothing too much. Love would protest against one drop too much; and never do you find God exceeding. Did He not hasten to stay Abraham's hand when enough had been done on Moriah? and at that same spot again, David's day, when Justice had sufficiently declared the sharpness of its two-edged sword, did He not again hasten to deliver, crying, �It is enough?� How much more then when it was His beloved Son? He sought from Him all that was needed by justice craved. And so we find in this transaction what may well be good news to us. For Jesus drank that cup as the substitute for �the great multitude,� His innumerable people, given Him of the Father; and thereby freed them from ever tasting even one drop of that fierce wrath, that �cup of red wine, full of mixture,� with its dregs, its unknown terrors. Now, this One, this only One, who so drank the whole, presents to the sinners of our world the emptied Cup—His own Cup emptied. He sends it round the world, calling on mankind—sinners to take it and offer it to the Father as satisfaction for their sins. Come, O fellow-sinner, grasp it and hold it up to God! Plead it, and thou art acquitted.

Yes, if you are anxious at all to be saved and blessed, take up this emptied cup. However cold thy heart, however dull thy feelings, however slight thy sorrow for sin, take this emptied cup. Your appeal to this emptied cup arrests judgment at once. Do not think you need to endure some anguish of soul, some great sorrow—to take some sips of the red wine, far less to taste its dregs, ere you can be accepted. What thoughtless presumption! Imitating Christ in His atoning work! If Uzziah, the king, presenting incense when he ought to have let the priest do it for him, was smitten for his presumption, take care lest you be thrust away, if you presume to bring the fancied incense of your sorrow and bitter tears. It is the emptied cup that is offered us, not the cup wet with our tears, or its purity dimmed by the breath of our prayers. Feelings of ours, graces of ours, can do nothing but cast a veil over the perfect merits of Christ.

Man of God who hast used this cup, keep pleading it always. Ever make it the ground of thine assurance of acceptance. Examine it often and well—see how God was glorified here, and how plentifully it illustrates and honors the claims of God's righteousness. Full payment of every claim advanced by Justice is here; and so you, in using it, give good measure, pressed down and running over. What then remains but that you render thanks and take this salvation, often singing,—

�Once it was mine, that cup of wrath,
And Jesus drank it dry!�

What should ever hinder thy triumphant joy? Be full of gratitude; and let this gratitude appear in thy letting others know what it has done for you, and may do for them.

For again we say to you, fellow-sinner, if you accept it not, soon you shall have no opportunity of choice. May I never see one of my people drinking this awful cup! May I never see it put into their hands! The groaning of a soul, dying in sin, is at times heard on this side of the veil, and it is the saddest and most haunting of all solemn and awful scenes; but what is that to the actual drinking of the cup, and wringing out the very dregs, that God �poureth out of the same.� Never may Satan have it in his power to upbraid you with having once had the offer of salvation, an offer never made to him! It seems to me that every Sabbath, especially the Lord takes Gospel-hearers aside into a quiet secluded nook, and there sets down before them the �cup of red wine, full of mixture,� and then the emptied cup of Jesus, earnestly, most earnestly, most sincerely, most compassionately, pressing them to decide and be blessed. Men and brethren, never rest till the Holy Spirit has in your eye so glorified Christ who drank the cup, that you see in Him your salvation and God's glory secured beyond controversy, beyond even Satan's power to question or assail.