Title: Sure Discipleship
Bible Book: Philippians 2 : 9-11
Author: Keith Fordham
Subject: Love for Christ; Discipleship
Objective:
Introduction
"And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." Philippians 2:9-11:
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
What is Christ say to us today through his holy scriptures? What is Christ saying to us who are following him even as the multitude of that day? Listen those of you who are nursing memories your sins, you are perfectly content to call yourself converted or saved. You are still holding on to your old ways. The ways of lying, drinking, cursing, not giving your tenth to God, laying out of church on Sunday nights, Wednesdays and holding the good news of Christ in your own little world by not witnessing for Christ on your job and at your churches visitation night.
Recognizing the witness of Gods Spirit to your spirit that a wonderful thing has happened, you can remember the day you were redeemed, and yet you are perfectly content to live a self-centered life that renounces and repudiates the Lordship of Christ? Are you holy enough?
I. Love Jesus above All
Jesus is saying to you first of all. If you want me to be the Lord of your life and you want to be my disciple first of all you must "hate" your father and mother, your wife and children your brothers and sisters, and yourself as well.
In others words you must love Jesus Christ so much that when your love for your mother and father, wife and children, and brothers and sisters and yourself is compared to that of your love for Jesus it will seem to be hate.
That is the kind of love and loyalty Jesus Christ demands or he is not the Lord of your life and you are not his disciple!
A small boy, described as a shy, second grader, eight years old, a little owlish in spectacles," was guilty of committing a crime in a New Jersey; school. It was Valentine's Day. He brought a Valentine and put it on the, teachers, desk; then he went down into the basement and set fire to the school by lighting a waste paper in the boiler room.
Then the Fire Commissioner conducted an inquiry, evidence pointed to the boy. He readily admitted that he had set fire to the school. Then he was--asked why, he explained, as the news report put it, with childish simplicity, "In class yesterday they took away my bubble gum." The child says in effect, "I am on the Throne in my life, and I want everybody else to bow down before me. I want to rule. When I want anything, I want it, and that is sufficient reason for my having it. If I want bubblegum, I am to have it. If anybody takes it away from me, I have a right to lash out and destroy anything that stands in the way of my whim and desire."
There is only one way to curb your fierce self-love of the old sinful nature that arises in even a child. Day by day we must submit our lives to the control of the Lord Jesus Christ in order that he may keep the old nature crucified with him.
To be a true disciple of Jesus Christ we must love him more than not only those dearest to us 'but more than the one we love most of all ourselves. Otherwise, He is not our Lord and we are not his disciples.
II. Deny Self and Do His Will
Secondly, Jesus is saying to' us to be a true a disciple you must take up your cross and follow me. You must say to the Father "Not my will, but thine."
The cross speaks of complete submission to the Father's will. Doing anything God wants you to. It must be God's will not our own disastrous will. Many years ago, the steamer Portland left Boston harbor when all the danger signals were flying.
The weather was stormy. The government agent in the signal office had advised all vessels to remain in port. The captain of the Portland was heedless of, all warnings. Before sailing he said to the keeper of the lighthouse, "Keep your light burning brightly tonight. We may come back!" But neither he, his crew, nor his vessel came back! When they were just outside the harbor, a mightily storm broke in fury. The vessel was torn to pieces. Not one on board ever saw loved ones again.
The shores of time are strewn with moral and spiritual wrecks, men and woman who went their own willful ways with no thought of God, and no sense of need-of His directing, molding, hand. Lest' we make a shipwreck of our lives, 'may this be our daily prayer:
“Jesus; Savior, Pilot me,
Over life's tempestuous sea!”
It always pays to obey God's will, completely.
Let me illustrate -In the Belgian Congo, the weather was hot and dank. No breath of air stirred; leaves hung from the trees as though they were weighted. In the garden not far from the missionary home a small boy played under a tree. Suddenly, the father called to him: "Philip, obey me, instantly - get down, on your stomach." The boy reacted at once, and his father, continued, "Now crawl toward me fast." The boy again obeyed. After he had come about half-way, the father said, "Now stand up and run to me." The boy reached his father, and turned to look back, hanging from the branch under which he had beg playing was a 'fifteen foot 'serpent. Are you always ready to obey God and do his will or do you ask him why and tell him to, explain or say I will after a while, Let “ifs” become "Speak Lord, thy servant heareth."
By the way, the Greek word diakonos means servant, or should we say the word deacon. The deacons are to serve the spiritual needs of the church in visitation of the sick, the lost, and those who are low spiritually. They are to serve every way they can. Deacons are a prime example of self-denial and obedience to God. When nobody else shows up for church on that Wednesday night or Sunday night you find the true deacons there. Deacons go the second mile and put God the church and their pastor before self. Deacons give till it hurts and then give some more. They pray for the lost, the sick, and the widowed the teaching and preaching of God's Word and do all in their power to keep peace, harmony and unity in the fellowship. If a vote does not go their way in business meeting they do all in their power to make it work to honor Jesus, without grumbling. Thank God for these men who set the example for the rest of us.
Christian what have you been doing, since your redemption? Still what is right in your own eyes? Are you sold out for Jesus Christ? Do you still claim the right to choose your own career? Do you have the right to choose the wife or husband you will marry! You do not have that right! Do you still claim the right to use your leisure hours as you please? You do not have that right! Do you still claim the right to spend your money as you please? You do not have that right! Do you still consider that you have the right to choose where you will spend your vacation? You do not have that right! Do you still claim you will do what you want to with your retirement? You do not have that right. Even your love and treatment of your grandchildren must come second to your love and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ! Only in the Wilderness of the Christian life will you put self before Christ. Maybe that is precisely where you are right now, doing still what you think is right in your own eyes because when you were redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ and God once and for all forgave you, you never realized that this experience of Jesus Christ was a crisis calculate, in God's economy of things, to produce a process, a walk no longer under the dictates of the Flesh."
“For as many as are led by the: spirit of God they are the children of God." (Romans 8:14.)
The moment a man, woman, boy or girl gives to the Holy Spirit the right to reestablish the sovereignty of Jesus Christ within his soul, he does not even have the right to do what is right in his own eyes, much less what is wrong! This is making Jesus Christ Lord. Having no will of your own and putting Christ first. This should be the commitment of your life to Christ, to repent of your will and make him Lord of your life. The Lord in his kingdom is constructing a building and fighting a battle. Can he count on; you to be under his rule and in the Kingdom under his rule;
III. Forsake All
Thirdly Jesus is saying to us that if we want to make him Lord and be his disciple we must forsake all. Isaiah 55:7 "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God; for he will abundantly pardon."
To all of you who have not accepted Christ turn from your own will and your own self-righteous And the Lord Jesus will abundantly pardon. Turn from your self-centered life and let Jesus Christ be Lord.
Unless you forsake all your own desires, lusts, and wicked way. This not only goes for the lost but also to the Christian you cannot be a disciple of Jesus Christ. But if you will forsake all you are to be a servant of Jesus Christ he will forgive and pardon you abundantly so you can be a true disciple.
In short give your whole being to Jesus Christ for him to save and rule. The reason I used the scripture from Philippians 2:9-11 today is that in order to be a real disciple of Jesus Christ and to be a Christian in the most meaningful way you must let Jesus Christ be the Lord of your life. To also show you the importance of the Lordship of Christ. Has anyone ever told you what the early Christians said when they made a confession of confession of Christ? They did not say that I believe that Jesus is my Savior. They did say I confess that "Jesus Christ is Lord." One day "every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."
This should already be your confession. Maybe you have never made the confession that Jesus Christ is Lord. I will give you the opportunity right now. This very moment to everyone in this congregation to stand to your feet and say, "Jesus Christ is Lord." In short you will be saying I forsake all to be a slave to Jesus Christ. Will you stand right now and make your confession. "That Jesus Christ is Lord."
Conclusion
A number of prominent literary men were assembled in a clubroom in London one day a number of years ago. The conversation veered to a discussion of some of the illustrious figures of the past, and on, one of the company suddenly asked: "Gentlemen, what would we do if Milton were to enter this room?"
"Ah" replied one of the circle, "we would give him such an ovation as might compensate for the tardy recognition accorded him by the men of his own day."
"Asked if Shakespeare entered?" asked another. "We would arise and crown him master of song, was the answer."
"And if Jesus Christ were to enter?" asked another, "I think," said Charles Lamb amid an intense silence, "we would all fall on our faces."
Will you bow down to Jesus this morning, will you accept him as your Savior and Lord publicly. Will you rededicate your life this morning? Will you transfer your letter or answer the call of God to full time Christian service? Thus making Jesus Christ Lord of your life.
