1. Be Christ’s Disciple: Put Christ First
Luke 9:23-27

2. Be Christ’s Disciple: Put Christ First
What is a Disciple?
1. A follower, pupil, adherent of a teacher
2. Commits totally to the teacher/master
3. “Apprentice”
4. Discipleship is not Sonship

3. Be Christ’s Disciple: Put Christ First
Luke 9: 23-27
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.  What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

4. Be Christ’s Disciple: Put Christ First
Luke 9: 23-27
 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
 Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

5. Be Christ’s Disciple: Put Christ First
Possibility of false and insincere disciples
John 6:60-66
Verse “On hearing it, many disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”...…Jesus said to them ‘Does this offend you?”
Verse 66 “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”

6. Be Christ’s Disciple: Put Christ First
I. The Command of Discipleship II. The Incentive of Discipleship III. The Application of Discipleship

7. I. The command of discipleship
Luke 9:23 “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, and take up their cross daily and follow me” Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me. The life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God”

8. I. THE COMMAND OF DISCIPLESHIP
Mark 3:14
“He (Jesus) appointed the twelve, designating them apostles, that they might be with him….”
Luke 6:40
“A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”

9. I. The command of discipleship
Luke 9:23
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, and take up their cross daily and follow me”
Cross: Identify with Christ in his Suffering
Symbol of Suffering
Roman instrument of Death/Execution

10. I. THE COMMAND OF DISCIPLESHIP
Luke 9:23
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, and take up their cross daily and follow me”
In His footsteps; one step at a time one day at a time

11. II. The Incentive of Discipleship
Verses 24-25
 ”For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.  What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”

12. II. The Incentive of Discipleship
Verse 27
“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
Jesus Christ, an example to follow

13. II. The Incentive of Discipleship
Philippians 2:6-9
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage, rather, he made himself nothing (empty himself)  by taking the very nature of servant,  being made in human likeness.
 And being found in appearance as a man,     he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death--even death on a cross.
 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place   and gave him the name that is above every name

14. II. The Incentive of Discipleship
I Peter 2:21 “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps”

15. II. The Incentive of Discipleship
Three Requirements of Discipleship:
1. Deny Oneself
2. Take up the Cross daily
3. Follow Jesus

16. III. The application of Discipleship
Practical Action Steps
1. To Become Christ-Like
2. To Make Disciples

17. III. The application of Discipleship
To Become Christ-Like (into his likeness)
Romans 8:23
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son…..”
II Corinthians 3:18
Believers “are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory”

18. III. The application of Discipleship
1. To Become Christ-Like
2. To Make Disciples
Matthew 28:19-20
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the end of the age.”

19. A PICTURE OF DISCIPLESHIP
David Brainerd