ARE YOU A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST ?

 I want us to think about a question today: Are you a disciple, or just a Christian? You might say, "Well, aren't all Christians disciples?" I might said of the same but the description of a disciple given in today’s Gospel verses from Matthew make me wonder if things are a little different.

A Christian is anyone who has accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. But most Christians don't live up to the qualities of discipleship described here.

Well hold on, does that mean that if we don't live up to these standards we're not saved. No, that would be a salvation dependent upon our works and the Bible is clear that salvation is by grace through faith. Jesus said, "For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten so that whosoever believeth in him shall have eternal life." (John 3:16)

But there are a lot of people who have truly put just their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior but who do not live up to these standards of discipleship described in Today’s Gospel.

It is not that they are not saved, it's that they got saved and stopped. They through that's all there was to the Christian life. They accepted Christ but never heard the call to grow in Christ; to learn and follow. In other words to be a true disciple.

 So, in order to answer the question: "Are you a Disciple or just a Christian?" we have to know what a disciple is.

Jesus said: "A disciple is not above the teacher." (Matt. 10:24) By definition a disciple is a student who learns at the feet of a teacher. The students of course learn from the teacher and don't try to tell the teacher what is right. Many Christians try to turn it the other way around. They try to tell Jesus how things should be instead of just sitting and listening to him. That's why people are constantly finding ways to use the Bible to justify all kinds of sinful practices. You can find people who will quote Bible verses in justification of everything from living in sin to racism.

Jesus also said, "the slave is not above the Master."( Matt. 10:24) If Jesus is the Lord of our lives then he is the one that we obey. And Jesus has every right to order us around. If Jesus truly wanted to, he could make us do whatever he commands. But instead Jesus chooses to call us to obey not force us to obey.

You know Jesus is God Almighty, but he chose to become like us so that he could make us more like him. He stooped to our weakness and reached down to us. He even humbled himself and washed his disciples  feet.

Unfortunately, the problem today is that people aren't willing to serve. We live in a culture were people want to be served but they won't serve others. Most people come to church with the attitude, "What can I get out of it" instead of "What can I give to it." But Jesus set a different example: he, who had every right to be served, chose to serve. Do we think we are better than him that we should come into his Father's house and demand service? And if it was God's good will that Jesus should die on a cross, should we complain when we face our little hardships in life?

The first characteristic of a disciple is that they are servants, and the second is that they don't fear persecution. Jesus said, "Have no fear of them." (Matt. 10:26) Why? Because they can only hurt your body, but God can preserve your soul unto eternal life. (Matt. 10:28) God cares for us infinitely and will take care of us.

In the early church many people denied Christ because they were afraid of the Romans. But there were some who did not fear those who could burn the body but who could not touch the soul.   

Sometimes people are paralyzed by fear. Because of fear we do not do what we are called to do. Sometimes people even do what they know is wrong because they are afraid.

Some people love their family more than anything else. They cherish the security and warmth their family provides. They would do anything to keep from hurting their loved ones. Sometimes they would even do what they know is wrong so as not to hurt their feelings.

But Jesus said, "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me" (Matt. 10:37)

Let me tell you about the Grimkie sisters. The Grimkie sister were daughters of slave owners. They lived in a household where they were waited upon by black people who had been bought in the slave yards of Charleston. They were rocked by them, fed by them, waited on by them. Then something happened. First they offended all of their friends by becoming Quakers. Then they went against everything that they were taught was not simply necessary but right when they began to fight for the abolition of slavery. They moved to Philadelphia where they became very active in the abolitionist movement and their slave owning family was ready to disown them. These two women were popular among the abolitionists. These two very articulate young southern women were to stand and make speeches as repentant slave holders; to write pamphlets about the evils of slavery. Until they realized that it was not just black people who needed human rights. They began to speak about the rights of women and suddenly even their abolitionist friends became very suspicious.

Don't misunderstand! Peace is good, and love of family is good too. But Jesus is saying that as good as these things are God must be most important and above all.

Disciples are people who are willing to leave peace and family behind to take up a cross like their Lord and follow it.  Amen