A Study of the Book of Luke
Sermon # 23

"The Life of a Disciple"

Luke 9:1-6,10, 18-20, 23-26, 57-62

              This morning I want to look Luke chapter nine in the light of what it reveals to us about what it takes to be a true follower of Jesus Christ. We are not called to some kind of superficial Christianity that does not effect the way that we live our lives.  We are called to be Christ’s disciples.  We are called to a life of discipleship.  The New Testament is full of instructions about discipleship.  Here in Luke’s gospel, we find Jesus beginning to teach his disciples just what discipleship is all about.  They knew He had called them.  They saw themselves as His followers.  But did they understand what it meant to follow Him?  The call to follow Jesus is a call to discipleship.  But what does that mean?  As Jesus challenges Peter and the rest of the twelve here in this passage, He will unfold a radical teaching of being a disciple - a real follower of His.

 1. Being A Disciple Involves Being Willing To Be  Sent Out. (vv. 1-6)

”Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. (2) He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. (3) And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. (4) "Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. (5) And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them." (6) So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.”
            As we read these words we are tempted to think that this is a limited commission given to Jesus’ original disciples.   Yet, there are eternal principles that we can discover here that will encourage and empower us to carry out the “great commission.”

            Instruction about ministry is especially important today because of the misconceptions that exist about ministry.  The greatest misconception is that the ministry is something that the preacher or the staff does, ministry is for the ordained full time personnel of the church.  When we use the word minister we usually mean the professional minister, the preacher or an evangelist.  While it is true that God has called some to the ministry as a profession he has called all of us to be ministers.  While God has provided many different ways for us to make a living (vocation) he a has called all of us to minister for Christ - at work, at home as well as in the church.  Ministry means looking for opportunities to make an impact in the lives of others with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Ministry means to care for others, share with others and seek to touch the lives of others with the transforming power of the Gospel.  But how are we to care out this responsibility? 

            Mark says it this way, “he called them unto him…and sent them forth.” All were sent none were exceptions! The whole idea of sharing your faith may make you uneasy. Perhaps you’re not too sure about this evangelism thing. Last week we exposed the myth that a persons “religion” is suppose to be a  private matter. But the world is still trying to promote that lie.  And because we are not sure we know “enough” ourselves to attempt to share with someone else, we don’t! They might think us foolish or worse, a fanatic!

            These disciples were not that much different. They always seemed about two steps behind on understanding the parables and three steps behind on the miracles. Yet despite their imperfect understanding, Jesus sent them out, trusting that they would go and that they would share the good news.

            Jesus not only called the disciples but when he sent them out he gave them every resource to carry out the task that they had been assigned. The text says that they were given “power and authority.” Power is the ability to accomplish a task and authority is the right to do it. “Authority is like a traffic cop who, by simply raising his hand, can bring two tons of speeding automobile to a complete halt. Does the officer have the power to stop the car? No! But the authority of the uniform does.” (Charles Swindoll. The Continuation of Something: Jesus Teaching and Training of the Disciples.  Bible Study Guide. Luke 7:1-10:37. (Anaheim, Calif.: Insight for Living, 1995) p. 74)

            But how were the disciples to convince the people that they represented the Messiah and his coming kingdom. They were given the power to cast out demons and the power to heal all diseases. We should remember that the gift of healing was not the primary responsibility of their ministry, proclaiming the good news was. The apostle’s ability to heal was a special gift that authenticated their message. Today we have the word of God to test a person’s ministry (1 John 2:18-29, 4:1-6).

            The specific instructions are given to the disciples in verses three through five, “And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. (4) "Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. (5) And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them." They were sent out to preach and to heal in the villages of Galilee. He specifically forbade them to carry along the kinds of things that we always try to take on a trip. When we make a trip we take every thing from our favorite pillow to our personal fan. The disciples however are advised to travel light. What they were allowed to take put emphasis on urgency and simplicity. The overlaying reason was that they would be dependent upon Christ for strength. The minimum of provisions was meant to call for the maximum of faith.  

            What was Jesus trying to do by sending out the disciples without even the essentials they needed? I believe that the answer is that Jesus was training the twelve to trust Him for their every need, especially their daily needs. This was lesson in the practical theology of trusting Him to empower their ministry and to meet their needs. Incidentally, this trust was vindicated in Luke 22:35 where it says they “lacked nothing.”

            This is the same essential issue that God’s people have to learn in every age, it is not how much you know that matters, it is who you trust.

            According to verse five, if they are not received they are to “shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  Don’t misunderstand this as an act of vindictiveness, anger or resentment. This prophetic act was designed to make people think deeply about their spiritual condition. We can surmise that this act made a strong impression and brought some to grace. FOR TO REJECT THE MESSAGE WAS TO REJECT THE HE WHO SENT THE MESSAGE!

            Being A Disciple Involves Being Willing To Be  Sent Out And

  2. Being A Disciple Requires Taking Time To Recharge Your Spiritual Batteries.  (v. 10)

            In verse ten the disciples return to give a report to Jesus. “And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.”
            We do not know how long this Galilean campaign went on but it would seem to have lasted several weeks. They were tremendously encouraged by the results they had seen, and they came back eager to report to Jesus. So eager in fact that Jesus saw a danger of being caught up in pride of the ministry that the Lord had allowed. Mark tells us in his account (6:30-32) that the disciples are not only excited they are exhausted from the stress and strain of ministry.  Mark tells us that Jesus took the disciples apart for a little performance review. “And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.    And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.”

            Underline in the text these four clear instructions; “come aside”, “by themselves,” “to a deserted place”, and “rest awhile.”

          Being A Disciple Requires Taking Time To Recharge Your Spiritual Batteries and

3. Being A Disciple Begins by Understanding That Everything Hinges On What We Think Of Jesus (vv. 18-20)  

“And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" (19) So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again." It is impossible to be wrong about Jesus and be right with God. The crowd may have their opinions about Jesus but his followers should have settled convictions. Some identified Jesus with John the Baptist because of his preaching. Some identified Jesus with Elijah because of his praying. Some identified Jesus with one of the prophets because of his passion (his heart).

            The world has it opinion of Christ but it is often not very accurate.   And while it may be interesting it is really irrelevant. The world was willing ( and still is ) to accept Jesus as a prophet, a great teacher even a great moral model, but they did not see him as the Messiah, the Savior.

            But what the world believes or does not believe is irrelevant, Jesus turns to his disciples and asks, in verse twenty, “He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God." It is an intentionally probing Question - “And you (the emphasis is on you) who do you say I  that I am? Peter answers for them all!  “You are the Christ.” Matthew (16:17-19) records the Lord’s joyous response. “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.     And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.    And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 

            It is not possible to be neutral about the person of Jesus.  And the decision we reach in this matter will be the single most important decision in our lives.

              Four alternatives about his identity.

1.       Jesus was a Legend. 

            Just another myth.

2.       Jesus was a Liar.  

            He was not the Messiah and he knew it!

3.       Jesus was a Lunatic. 

            He was not the Messiah but he thought he was. He was so crazy that he did not know what he was doing.

4.       Jesus is Lord.

                          Being A Disciple Begins by Understanding That Everything Hinges On What We Think Of Jesus and

4. Being A Disciple Means Thinking About Life In A Totally New Way.  (vv. 23-26)

”Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
            We must first say no to ourselves, before we can be true followers of Christ. The inclusion of “daily” helps us to realize that Discipleship is a daily discipline, we follow Jesus one step at a time, one day at a time. Three steps are outlined here, which involve a decision of the will.

 1. “Let him deny himself” What this denial is not!!!  He is not talking about giving up luxuries or even necessities but of about denying self. What this denial is!!! To deny yourself basically means to say no to yourself.  You relinquish all claims to your life.  You renounce your right to run your life.  Deny our self trust, deny our self-sufficiency, deny our feeling that we are able to handle life by ourselves and run everything to suit ourselves.

            If you are a Christian you don’t belong to yourself. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?    For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

            Most of us want to follow Jesus until it interferes with our plans.  The level of commitment among the average Christian in the typical church is very low.  It goes something like this. “OK. I’ll serve you, Lord but it not going to get in the way of my family.  I’ll serve you, Jesus but it can’t conflict with my job.  I’ll serve you, but I’m a human being and I’ve got to do this or that.”  Jesus said, “If you don’t forsake all that you have, you cannot be my disciple.”

 2. “Let him take up his cross.” The Cross is more than an event in history, it is a way of life.  The cross is for all who follow Christ.  This verse says, “… If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”  What are our crosses? Consider first What they are not!  Your cross is not having a nutty boss, an unfair teacher, a bossy mate, nor an illness or handicap.  A cross comes from specifically walking in Christ’s steps. It comes from living out the business and moral ethics of Christ in the marketplace and world. Our crosses come from our dedication to Christ.  

3. “Let him follow me.” This means “obey me.” It means to choose on a daily basis to do or say what Christ commands that we do or say.  This is what following means.  In the original Greek these three steps “have an interesting sequence of tenses. All three verbs are imperatives, but the call to “deny oneself” and “take up ones cross’ are in the Greek aorist tenses, while the call “to follow Jesus” is in the present tense. This means that discipleship involves the fundamental commitment of self-denial and bearing one’s cross, while the call to follow Jesus is constant, growing out of the base commitments.” (NIV Application Commentary,  p.265)  

            This is not the decision of a moment, but a program for a lifetime, to be repeated again and again, whenever we fall into circumstances which make these choices necessary  .

            To “follow” is a long and continuous action, constant obedience to Christ in thought word and action. This struck the disciples and the multitude with a very solemn and serious impact.  In fact, John (6:66) tells us that at this point many turned and went back and followed him no more, because these words seemed to them harsh and demanding.

            Jesus goes on to say in verse twenty-four, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. (25) For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?”

            Nothing could be more opposed to the spirit of our age.  The world today says, “Look Out for Numero Uno.”   Take care of yourself. Love yourself. Pamper yourself. Live for yourself.”

Jesus was saying, “The time may come when you can save your life by abandoning the faith.” If you try to save your life by preserving yourself from the opposition of the world or by accommodating yourself to the world, what results is the loss of real life.

            To miss the only one who can give you eternal life is to miss life itself. By living our lives for ourselves, we forfeit eternal life.  But by living our lives for Jesus, we inherit eternal life.

            In verse twenty-six Jesus makes it clear that there will be no secret disciples. “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.”

            In his book, “Mere Christianity,”   C.S. Lewis declares,

“God is going to invade this earth in force. But what is the good of saying you are on his side then, when you see the whole universe melting away like a dream, and something else - something it never entered your head to conceive - comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us, and so terrible to others, that none of us will have any choice left? For this time will be God without disguise: something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it becomes impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be the time when we discover which side we have really chosen, whether we realized it or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side.  God is holding back, to give us the chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it”

          Being A Disciple Means Thinking About Life In A Totally New Way and

5. Being a Disciple Means Understanding that There is a Cost (vv. 57-62)

”Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go." (58) And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." (59) Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." (60) Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." (61) And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house."  Jesus tells some heartbreaking stories of people who want so much to follow Him, but in each case somehow they just can’t force themselves to pay the price.  They must go home first and get ready or take care of some pressing business.

The last two cases the key word that each man uses is “first:” "let me first go” (v 59) and “but let me first” (v.61).  What they are offering is to follow Christ “when,” follow Christ “if” or follow Christ “after.” The commitment of each of these would-be disciples is faulty because it imposed limits. Each of the three examples given are examples of conflicting commitments. Each one of these three men’s commitments to Christ are nullified or minimized by some other commitment in their lives.

Following Christ means putting everything and I do mean everything aside which hinders our commitment to follow him.

            Yes he meant that it is possible that following him may cost you immense discomfort: “ the discomfort of having to love difficult people, the discomfort of giving until it hurts, the discomfort of give all that you have in the ministry of Christ and his church, the discomfort of being disliked, the occasional sense of having nowhere to lay your head.” (R. Kent Hughes. Luke: That You May Know the Truth. Vol. 1. Wheaton, Crossway, 1998)  p. 372)  But more, Jesus was saying that if we walk with him, you will sense that this world is not truly your home.

            Jesus completes his thoughts on the cost of discipleship in verse sixty-two, “But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."   But exactly what does that mean? I think to truly understand that verse you have to at some time have stood behind a plow. As plow you invariably have the desire to look back to see how you’re doing. In my experience it is prelude to disaster, because as soon as you do, you discover that you now plowing up what you were laying by. You cannot plow a straight line and constantly be looking backwards. Neither can you do a work for God and constantly be looking at the past.

            But what does constant desire to “look back” indicate spiritually? First, it is an expression of a desire for the old ways. Have you ever heard someone give a testimony of their salvation and ended up wondering after you heard it if they really thought it was worth all that they had given up.  They almost seem to glory in how bad they use to be. Secondly, it expresses regret for the old way of life. I don’t know about you but when I think back to the past, I remember past opportunities wasted. Finally, we need to consider that looking back means that our orientation is in the wrong direction. As Paul said so well in Philippians 3:13-14, “… forgetting those things that are behind (and I think he means both the good and the bad) and reaching forth unto things which are ahead, I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  We have to keep our eyes focused on the job that God has called us to. Those are always pining after what they have left behind, who dream about how life might have been if they had not chosen to follow Jesus, who always keep one eye on the rear-view mirror, will never do well in serving Jesus.

1. Being A Disciple Involves Being Willing to Be Sent Out. (vv. 1-6)

2. Being A Disciple Is About Taking Time To Recharge Your Spiritual Batteries.  (v. 10)

3. Being A Disciple Begins by Understanding That Everything Hinges On What We Think Of Jesus

4. Being A Disciple Is About Taking Up Our Cross And Following Him.   (vv. 23-26)