“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.”
This statement of Jesus followed the first prediction of His death and resurrection. Peter declared that this would not happen, meaning that he would protect Jesus. Peter had not yet learned that as a disciple, he was to proclaim Jesus, not protect Him. Jesus told Peter that his mind was not on the things of God, but on the things of men. Jesus’ death and resurrection were God’s will, and Peter could not stop God’s will. Jesus’ message to Peter, and to us, was that true discipleship will not diminish the spirit of sacrifice inherent in the Christian faith. Verse 24 explains what real discipleship is. The question: "Are you a real disciple?" should humble you as it does me. Jesus said, “If any man (anyone) would come after me…” Real discipleship is not open only to an elite corps of religious people. The Bible clearly teaches that “Whosoever will may come.” The people who come to Jesus in real faith will become His real disciples. Jesus has called you to be His disciple. Your past sins cannot exclude you, for in Jesus you are a new creation. A real disciple is one who has been saved whose life has been changed, and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said of the one who would come after Him: “Let him deny himself and take up his cross.” Real discipleship makes demands on the lives of believers. It demands self-denial, which is not a major theme of American lifestyles. The act of being saved calls for denying self, for it demands a surrender of self to Jesus. According to Paul, we are no longer our own but have been bought with a price – the price of the blood of Jesus. This being true, it is no longer merely what we want for ourselves but what Jesus wants of our lives. Jesus said that “If anyone would follow me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Real discipleship means to follow Jesus. Real discipleship will be found where the real Presence of Jesus is, where the real work of Jesus is taking place. Real disciples do not chase after every fad, nor will the real disciple be “tossed about by every wind of doctrine.” Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27) Real disciples will follow Jesus regardless of their circumstances. Based on Matthew 16:24 are you a real disciple? As you think and pray through this, you will find it to be a humbling experience. I know it has been for me. In our affluent society it is not easy to think about sacrifice. We have so many comforts that the New Testament disciples did not have, but the demands of discipleship are still there and sometimes we just have to step out of our comfort zones and do what Jesus leads us to do. This is what real disciples do. Bro. Joe
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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September 2021
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