True Disciples
Introduction
- The greatest prayer ever prayed - by Jesus Christ
- Himself (v1-5)
- His disciples (v6-19)
- For us (v20-26)
- We are going to look at a verse from the second section
- All these men were his disciples - there were clear evident signs
They had received His teaching (v8b)
- Many had heard His teachings - examples
- The vast majority did not receive His teachings
- They had taken Christ's words into their hearts
- They had asked Him questions
- We are hearing Christ's teaching this morning but are we receiving it?
They had understood His teaching (v8c)
- They had understood His mission
- The majority of people listening to His teaching had not understood His mission
- There were gaps in their understanding but they were certain that this man had come from God
- Peter recognised that Jesus was the Christ, the son of the Living God
- Who is Jesus to us today? A man to emulate or a Messiah sent to redeem us?
- True disciples crave Christ's teaching and understand who He is
They had obeyed His teaching (v6)
- God the Father gave a gift to His Son
- A tangible expression of the love towards Him
- He gave Jesus a people
- These people had kept His word
- They listened carefully, thought deeply and acted accordingly
- What application does this have for us?
- If an unbeliever looked at us would they see what Christ has taught us?
- The keeping of God's word is the stronger side of spiritual life
- You can receive and understand His teaching but not obey it
- Bishop JC Ryle - "Practical obedience is the great test of genuine discipleship"
- A throughly disobedient disciple cannot exist
- Disobedience and discipleship are polar opposites
- Jesus sees in His disciples a desire and increasing ability to keep His word
- Two major examples of how discipleship and disobedience cannot exist together
The meaning of being a Disciple of Jesus
- The word used 264 times in the New Testament
- Definition:
- A student or apprentice
- Attach himself to a master
- We would copy everything he learned
- He would go and do likewise
- To become a Christian is to take Jesus as our master
- Not just our Saviour
- To become a Christian is to attach ourselves and commit to follow Jesus
- We copy Jesus in the power of the Spirit
- That ultimately we reflect fully the Lord Jesus Christ
- It is nonsense to say I am a disciple of Christ but won't live like Christ
- Being a disciple is not an honorary title
The meaning of loving God
- To become a Christian is to set our love on Jesus
- Love - emotion expressed in action
- Something practical and tangible
- Love shown in actions
- Jesus has said that we will show our love through our obedience to Him
- Keep Jesus words
- Practice His word
- God's love towards us is practical
- God came to earth for us
- God died on the cross for us
Obedience to Christ
- Obedience is not legalism
- Our only hope is Christ
- Our obedience is a sign of thanks to God
- Rom 12:1
- Obedience is not easy
- Our human nature is being subdued but is not dead
- 1 John 1:9
- There is also grace and forgiveness
- Obedience is not possible apart from the enabling power of the Holy Spirit
- We can only obey when we are in the Kingdom indwelled by the Spirit
- Obedience is not optional
- Paul dissolves this thinking
- Obedience is not burdensome
- He only ever requires of us what is good for us
Closing Remarks