Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 9:21-26 "REVIEWING LESSONS ON DISCIPLESHIP"
Day 111 – Luke 9
Text: Luke 9:21-26
REVIEWING LESSONS ON DISCIPLESHIP
What has the Lord Jesus taught His Disciples thus far? Let’s take time to review some of the significant lessons He taught His Disciples. Let’s review three lessons:-
1. Discipleship is a special invitation/calling given by the Lord. The discerning has to choose between living for the world, and living for the Lord. Those genuinely saved, and maturing in faith chose Discipleship. Each one had to give up one thing or another to follow the Lord Jesus (Re-read Luke 4-5). The Disciple thinks nothing of what he has to give up for the privilege of following the Lord Jesus, and be identified as belonging to Him.
2. Discipleship involved learning deep, spiritual lessons of faith and life. The good disciple must have the kind of heart that truly loves the Lord and His Word (Re-read Luke 8). The Disciples were expected to think through all that the Lord Jesus expounded to them. They must show that they are not shallow and superficial in their appreciation of things spiritual!
3. Discipleship involves being trained to serve the Lord effectively. The Lord will empower but the Disciple must be prepared to serve with courage and faith (Re-read Luke 9). The Disciples proved their worth. They were highly effective. They were prepared to even forgo food and rest, for the sake of the ministry!
SUFFERING AND DISCIPLESHIP
We may think of the lessons of Discipleship as depicting different levels of faith and understanding. This lesson on accepting suffering as part and parcel of Discipleship represents an even higher level of understanding.
The Lord Jesus never minced words when He taught His Disciples deep lessons of faith and life. Not once did He promise them “a flower-strewn pathway”. Instead, He taught them that following Him would mean suffering. Their comfort and consolation would lie in the fact that their Teacher had set the pace and the example. He led by example!
Let us take time to evaluate what the Lord Jesus taught concerning True Discipleship…
“If anyone desires to come after Me,
let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily,
and follow Me.”
Luke 9:23
Discipleship is not just a fond desire to be called a Disciple of the Lord Jesus. Discipleship is not having a lot of Biblical knowledge. Discipleship begins with a desire to follow the footsteps of the Lord. Discipleship is essentially “followership” .
The would-be disciple must focus on the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He must consider all that Jesus stood for, well expressed in the things He taught and exemplified in His life.
THREE IMPORTANT CHALLENGES TO ACCEPT
The would-be disciple must consider three important challenges. In these three challenges, the Lord Jesus places the onus upon the Disciple.
The Lord has already done His part. He has forgiven. He has brought salvation. He promises life eternal. He opens up the Word of God. He gives glimpses of eternal things.
The would-be disciple must now decide whether he wants to take on these challenges:-
1. “Let him deny himself…”
There are many things that the average person is used to having. Everyone builds for himself a “comfort zone”. Everyone likes to have the comforts of life. Nobody likes to have suffering. Few will go the extra mile naturally.
The Lord begins with this basic challenge. The would-be disciple must be first prepared to deny himself! If he cannot, or if he is not willing to deny himself, he would fail as a disciple, before too long.
2. “And take up his cross daily…”
This is the second challenge. The would-be disciple must be prepared to actually take up his cross… and that daily!
The “cross” represents toil and trouble. It would also include suffering and death! The would-be disciple must decide if the Lord Jesus matters that much to him, that he would follow His footsteps to the very end!
3. “And follow Me…”
The disciple is not told the path that he would walk on. He is challenged to walk in faith. He is challenged to consider the life of the Lord Jesus and then be moved to follow Him without fear or reservations!
THEOLOGICAL LOGIC
Who would dare to become a Disciple of the Lord Jesus, if they were given such straightforward, and tough teachings to chew on?
The Lord Jesus’ logic is actually flawless, and deeply profound! What is the alternative to following Him as His Disciple? What would the person actually gain if he were to leave off following Christ, and instead choose to pursue the things of the world?
“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it,
But whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world,
And is himself destroyed or lost?
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words,
Of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when
He comes in His own glory,
And in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”
Luke 9:24-26