Speaking Louder Than Before on Discipleship

Luke 6:40:

⁴⁰ A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. (NKJV)

My thoughts:

-Disciples are not above their teacher

-Blessed life comes by Being- having God like character

-Describes the type of character attributes listed in the Sermon on the Mount

-Luke’s version: Jesus focused on our attitude toward: circumstances (Luke 6:20-26), people (Luke 6:27-38), ourselves (Luke 6:39-45), & God (Luke 6:46-49)

-True Happiness= Faith in God, Love towards others, honesty with ourselves, & Obedience toward God

-Our outward words/actions need to show Christ. If they don’t, then our hearts don’t show Christ. We need to speak/show Christ whenever we can, not just when we are asked what we believe.

BEC NT-

We cannot lead others where we have not been ourselves, nor can we be all that our master is. The more we strive to be like Him, the more we realize how far short we fall. Nothing blinds a person like pride (“Lay Down My Pride”-J)

Believers do sin, but the witness of their words & works is consistently good to the glory of God. In terms of ministry, servants of God who are faithful will produce themselves in people who are in turn true to the Lord (2 Timothy 2:2)

What comes out of our mouths shows what’s in our heart

Matthew 28:17:

¹⁷ When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. (NKJV)

My thought:

Some doubted-check to see if Thomas had touched hands & side yet or if more than 11 may have been there

BEC NT:

Since Jesus has all authority, we may obey w/o fear. He is in control because of His death & resurrection

Christianity is a missionary faith which is demanded by the very nature of God as He is love & is not willingly that any should perish.

Matthew 28:19-20- Great Commission:

¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.  (NKJV)

My thought:

-Creating disciples= Teaching them all of God’s commandments and the heart intent of the law as well as servant leadership

Matthew 19:27:

²⁷ Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” (NKJV)

BEC NT:

Peter saw contrast between wealthy& poor

Jesus gave them a marvelous promise of rewards in this life & in the next

Anything forsaken would be returned a hundredfold

Essentially an investment instead of sacrifices not all dividends would be received in life.

Is possible to do God’s will but have a wrong heart

Serving for benefits only misses the purpose of serving. We miss His best blessing for us.

“Trust Him unreservedly & believe that He will always give what is best.”

Matthew 16: 13-17:8:

¹³ When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”  ¹⁴ So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”  ¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
¹⁶ Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  ¹⁷ Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  ¹⁸ And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
¹⁹ And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”  ²⁰ Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.  ²¹ From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  ²² Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”  ²³ But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”  ²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  ²⁷ For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  ²⁸ Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”  ¹ Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; ² and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  ³ And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  ⁴ Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  ⁵ While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”  ⁶ And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.”  ⁸ When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. (NKJV)

16:13-20=Messiahship

16:21-23=Atonement

16:24-28=discipleship

17:1-8=Eschatology

Bible Exposition Commentary NT:

                           2 approaches to life:

Deny yourself                                  Live for yourself

Take up your cross                        Ignore the cross

Follow Christ                                    Follow the world

Lose your life for His sake          Save your life for your own sake

Forsake the world                          Gain the world

Keep your soul                                Lose your soul

Share His reward & glory            Lose His reward & glory

To deny self is not equal to deny things

To deny self= give yourself wholly to Christ & share in His shame & death

To take up cross is not equal to carry burdens/problems

To take up cross= identify w/ Christ in His rejection, shame, suffering, and death

Suffering leads to glory

Suffering: example= What Christ went through before His death.