Distinguishing Marks of a Disciple-sermon excerpt

-A somewhat sobering thought is that each of us is the best Christian somebody knows.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated, "Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ."

Non-discipleship Christianity dominates much of the thinking of the contemporary church. In addition to sucking the strength from the church, Christianity without discipleship causes the church to assimilate itself into the culture. And sadly, whenever the difference between the church’s and culture’s definition of morality ceases to exist, the church loses its power and authority.

-Luke 9:23-25 "The Distinguishing Marks of a Disciple"

1. The Urge to Follow Jesus
-If you do not feel an urge to follow and become like Jesus then God is not at work in you. When you hear His words, "follow me," and the urge to obey rises up within you, then you can be assured that God is at work in you and that God is in you.

2. The Call to Life
-When God calls us, He invites us to die. And ironically, we’ll never be more alive.
-The cost to the kingdom of God for those who intentionally chose to be a non-discipleship Christian is incalculable and inexcusable.

3. Anyone Can and Should
-You can certainly choose someone or something else to follow. But if that’s your decision, the promise of finding yourself with meaning and purpose doesn’t apply.
-Anyone means everyone. Following Jesus is what a disciple does.

4. Self-Denial is Essential (9:23)
-C. S. Lewis gave tremendous insight into self-denial, "self-denial in and of itself isn’t a virtue. In fact, denying life’s pleasures just to say we did would be the apex of arrogance.
-Self-denial is about saying no to self in order to say yes to God.
-I decide that I no longer will follow my vision, my dreams, my heart—and then periodically check behind me to make sure Jesus is blessing what I’ve chosen.

5. Take Up Your Mission
-It always comes back to the cross.
-How many of you live with this perpetual question, "Lord, what do you want me to do; what’s my mission."
-When we wait at the entrance to the path of obedience for full instructions before we start walking, we can never find our mission. That knowledge is only found in route.

6. The Torment of the Daily
-When you reject non-discipleship Christianity and make a commitment to follow Jesus it will be made in the face of "come hell or high water" I will follow. You will have to live it out daily in the middle of temptation, weakness, illness, opposition, and the appearance of failure.

7. Gaining Your Soul
-When we insist on directing our own lives, we never enter into the joy and fulfillment of God’s dream for us. You will be restless, unsettled, bored, wandering, drifting, unfulfilled, and so forth.
-Every disciple dreams of living a life with great meaning and fulfillment. That does not come to people who drift about as immature converts. It only belongs to those who choose the life of transformational discipleship.

Becoming like Him includes 6 issues of transformation

Transformed mind- believe what Jesus believed
Transformed character- live the way Jesus lived
Transformed relationships- love as Jesus loved
Transformed habits- train as Jesus trained
Transformed service- minister as Jesus ministered
Transformed influence- lead the way Jesus led

The distinguishing marks of a disciple are to be found in Scripture and as followers of Christ we must be about imitating Christ. I read the Scriptures and I see Christ. I live out my life and see other believers who are imitating those aspects of Christ that I just read about. And so in a sense I imitate them who are imitating Christ. And, most likely someone is fleshing out who Christ is by how they see me.

Discipleship Christianity is not an option. We must imitate Christ.