| Vessels Of Honor – A Call To Discipleship – Part 5

Christian believers are tied in with the heroes of faith from the time of Abel through the prophets and kings to the closing of the Old Testament. Just as each one of the heroes discovered the grace of God in their failures and endured the chastening of the Lord, so also did the members of the church.

As stated by Oswald Sanders…”The word ‘disciple’ means ‘a learner’, but Jesus infused into that simple word a wealth of profound meaning. As used by Him and Paul, it meant ‘a learner or pupil who accepts the teaching of Christ, not only in belief, but also in lifestyle.’ It means learning with purpose to obey what is learned. It involves a deliberate choice, a definite denial, and a determined obedience.”

In this series we will find that Jesus calls us to ‘go and make disciples’ in Matthew 28:19, but He also lays out clearly that to be a true disciple there will be a cost, Matthew 16:24-25. To make disciples we must be a disciple! The cost is to deny ourselves and take up our cross which means to lay down our own natural wills, say no to self daily, and follow His will and conform to it.  We will walk through the different characteristics of what it means to be a disciple. It does cost our flesh, but the reward of sowing to the Spirit is abundant life! When surrendered completely to Him we are sure to live ‘The Good Life’ in Him and lead people to that ‘Good Life’!

Part 5 – ‘The Cost of Discipleship’  In this last message on discipleship, we will look at the importance of being ‘Kingdom Minded’. The Bible says so much about what it means to be a disciple and the focus that it takes to remain in a place of continued growth. Being Kingdom Minded is a constant awareness and mindset of God speaking to us and flowing through us. We are ones that see the bigger picture of His plan for us on this earth. In order to do this, we must lay aside every weight and sin. These can prevent maximum results in our race for Him. Weights are not necessarily bad things but can distract us and slow us down in accomplishing His will for our lives. Hebrews 12:1-3 shows us the importance of throwing these things aside by allowing God to instruct us on our daily walk. This passage also shows us that if Jesus had to keep His focus on what was before Him then we must keep our eyes focused on Him the Author and Finisher of our faith! A kingdom minded disciple knows what to pick up and what to lay aside so that they can keep focused on His Kingdom work in every area of their lives!