DISCIPLESHIP MATTERS

Matthew 16:24

The very thing that we will discuss this morning is very important. Without this, the church will not function properly,
without this church life as we know it will die, without it church will not grow. Without it, people will know Christ, but
they will not persevere, the world will eat them alive. This preserves the church, this will expand the work of God.
Without this, people will just come and go, without it there will be no distinction of our character with the ones in the
world.
-This topic which we will discuss is where Jesus puts much of his time; He gave it all on this one during his earthly
ministry. So, today let’s focus on this one.

Matthew 16:24 NLT Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own
way, take up your cross, and follow me.

John 6:66-70 NLT At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve
and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” 68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words
that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve
of you, but one is a devil.”

Jesus did not speak to the crowd in these verses, but He point His focus on His disciples, His core. It is important to
consider these things.

Today, we will talk about Discipleship Matters. If a person has been disciple, he will fight for his life to serve the Lord. It is
only by the disciple that the church will fulfil the Great Commission. If there is really an intentional discipleship in the old
normal and even in this new normal, people will be unstoppable in serving the Lord. If you are not a disciple, you could
be here and the next week you are gone. A disciple sees the value in investing his or her life to the cause of God.
(Illustration: It is hard for the millennial to wake up early, but those who have been are disciple wakes up early)

Restoring Back To Order

Discipleship is restoring your life back to order. In discipleship, you chase God’s work; not the other way around. You are
hungry, thirsty and excited to do the work of God.
-A disciple does not look for what he could get, but what he can contribute to God’s work.
-Jesus did not hold back those who are going out, He even ask the disciples if they too wanted to depart, only those who
have captivated the heart of discipleship remains. A disciple sees the deepness of serving the Lord.
-It is but normal that there are people that cease to follow, but a true disciple continue to walk together with his family.

A disciple reproduce and fruitful, he or she is not comfortable not having any fruit.

Principles of Discipleship
Matthew 16:24 NLT Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own
way, take up your cross, and follow me.

(1) Deny Yourself

(2) Take Up Your Cross
(3) Follow Him

What stabilize the church is not the attenders but disciples, because no matter what happens. If your prayers are
answered or not answered you would continue to serve. You could wear the title Disciple, but if it is not in your heart, it
will be gone.

(1) Deny Yourself

-It means we cease to be self-seeking and self-centeredness. You no longer seek self-gratification; you seek now what
delights the Father. Punch lines of a non-disciple: Disisyon nako ni, Wala namo’y paki sa akoa, Naa koy freedom
magdecide oy, Dautan ba mahigugma, pakialamero man mo.
-But if his/her life is messed up, who will he call? –it’s always God. You cannot separate love and obedience. You can
obey without love but you cannot love without obedience.
-These are the person that does not want counselling, does not want to be corrected and hates to be instructed.
-To deny yourself means Jesus become the driver of your life, to relinquish the wheel. (Jesus take the wheel)
-To deny oneself means that you will not be affected by whatever negative things they throw at you, but you aim for the
satisfaction of the Lord. Be not afraid to be offended.
-This is the first requirement of discipleship
(2) Take Up Your Own Cross

-Cross means death and suffering. Some people upon realizing the intensity of discipleship, they quit. Its normal, God
wants only those who have the nerve of steel and the bravest as His disciples.
- A disciple is not afraid to die, but fully aware of his own mortality. Strong men die, genius and brilliant people die. It
does not matter, we all are to die. But all the things you have accumulated will be burn out, what stands out are your
service to the Lord.
- We must preach and serve like dying man to the dying men.
- Insults, malign, false accusations, rejection are hurling to the true disciples, but we rejoice on our battle scars.
- Even we get hurt, we are willing to fight until the end, you are consistently consistent
- Are you willing to suffer for the sake of Christ?

(3) Follow Him (Jesus)

-When Jesus told the disciples to Follow Me, it meant do not go back to the old ways
-To follow the Lord means, there is no backing off, no U-Turn it is a decision of burning the bridge after you have cross
over it.
-A true disciple is whose life is fully surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ; God knows those who are half-hearted.
-There was a man willing to follow the Lord, but the Lord sees his heart that is why He said, give your riches to the poor.
Because, He knows your heart.
- If you are a true disciple, you can never go backslide. If your leader or your pastor has offended you. Continue moving
forward.
-A disciple must have a substance, a solid foundation of the Word of God.

(recap from the previous sermon)