A disciple is someone who literally follows someone in hopes of eventually becoming what they are. The doctor who did surgery on my spine several years ago told me he was a disciple of another doctor who I originally wanted to do my surgery. He reassured me that he learned all the techniques from his mentor and could perform the surgery just as well. He did and my surgery was a success.
A Christian disciple is a believer who follows Christ and then demonstrates his imitation of Christ as a model for others to follow. All those who profess Jesus as Lord are called to be disciples but not many accept that call. Disciples are to invest their life learning to know and to imitate Jesus. It is a lifetime journey. We call that process SANCTIFICATION. This is vital to the growth of the church. As believing Christians we are each called to help others come to know Jesus so that they can reach a point in their life when they are ready to accept a proposal from Jesus himself. It is a marriage proposal. Jesus asks all those who come to him to commit to him and him alone as their Lord and Savior! We don’t use the term Lord today and most people cannot grasp what that really means. But it is putting someone above everything else in your life. They have absolute final authority in all your affairs! In the old marriage vows there were the words, “To forsake all others” when the young couple committed their lives to each other. This phrase isn’t used as much today. I think people are afraid of commitment. We like our freedom. But God promises huge rewards to those who do commit. Today there are still plenty of people wanting a Savior, but they don’t want a Lord!
This Sunday I will be telling you all about the rewards of becoming a Disciple!
See you Sunday, 9:00am Esic Baptist Church, 1000 Esic Drive, Edwardsville. Love, pastor Kent