THE DISCIPLESHIP 100 SERIES (Biblical Truths and Practices Every Christian Should Understand) Our goal for 21 studies is to know and understand the basics of the Christian life so that (1) the person of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17), (2) we may present every person complete in Christ (Colossians 1:28), and (3) every person is equipped to pass on these truths to other faithful men and women (2 Timothy 2:2). WHAT CAN I LEARN FROM THE BIBLE ABOUT: Discipleship, the Bible, Bible Study, the Biblical God, Prayer 101. The Christian as a Disciple Luke 14:25-15:2 For further study: Read “An Introduction to Discipleship”. 102. The Bible 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12-13 For further study: “Why Can I Trust the Bible?” 103. Bible Study Mark 4:1-20, How to study the Bible handout For further study: “What Can I Learn from the Bible about the Bible?” 104. The Biblical God Ex 34:6-7 For further study: “What Can I Learn from the Bible about God?” 105. Prayer Luke 11:1-4 For further study: “Teach Us to Pray” by David Roper. The Biblical Jesus, Faith, the Biblical Holy Spirit, Walking by the Spirit: 106. The Biblical Jesus Hebrews 1:1-14 For further study: “What Can I Learn from the Bible about Jesus?” 107. Faith Hebrews 10:36-38, 11:1-6, 12:1-2 108. The Biblical Holy Spirit John 14:16-17,26, 15:26, 16:7-11,14 For further study: “What Can I Learn from the Bible about the Holy Spirit?” 109. Walking by the Spirit Galatians 5:16-25, ECRAT handout For further study: “How Does a Christian Practically Walk by the Spirit?” Humanity and Sin, Deliverance!, Biblical Salvation, The Christian’s Identity: 110. Humanity and Sin Ephesians 2:1-3, 4:17-9 For further study: “Additional Thoughts on Humanity and Sin.” 111. Deliverance! Romans 10:9-15, Ephesians 2:4-10, 4:20-24, Deliverance handout For further study: “Evangelism” 112. Biblical Salvation 1 Timothy 2:3-6, Romans 3:24-28, Romans 12:1-2, 1 John 3:2 For further study: “What Can I Learn from the Bible about Salvation?” 113. The Christian’s Identity IN Christ Romans 5:11-6:14 For further study: “More notes on Romans 5:12-21 and 6:15-23.” Forgiveness and Victory Cycles. 114. The Christian’s Identity IN the Spirit Romans 7:1-8:17 For further study: Review notes from Discipleship 109 on Walking by the Spirit and ECRAT The Biblical Church, the Church’s Walk, Dealing with the World, the Flesh, and the Devil: 115. The Biblical Church Ephesians 4:1-16 For further study: “What Can I Learn from the Bible about the Church?” 116. The Church’s Walk Rom 12:1-8 For further study: “Spiritual Gifts Questionnaire” and “Thoughts on Spiritual Gifts” 117. Dealing with the World 1 John 2:15-17, Romans 12:2 118. Dealing with the Flesh James 1:13-18 For further study: “New Life in Christ” by Sally Rackets. 119. Dealing with the Devil Ephesians 6:10-18 For further study: “Spiritual Warfare” by Ray Stedman. The Future for the Believer and the Unbeliever, Witnessing and Discipling 120. The Future Joel Berger’s 3-page handout on the future 121. The Christian as a Witness and Discipler 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Mt 28:16-20 Discipleship 101 ASSIGNMENT SHEET (to be completed before the study) The Christian as a Disciple (Luke 14:25-15:2) To specifically study this passage, you can (1) answer the following questions, and/or (2) you can read or listen to “The Christian as a Disciple” by Joel Berger. STUDY A physician, Dr. Luke was a traveling companion of the apostle Paul during some of Paul's missionary journeys. Doing extensive research, Luke wrote this Gospel in the late 50s A.D. to a man named Theophilus. Written for Gentile (non-Jewish) readers, Luke presents Jesus as the perfect human. We see Jesus’ birth, childhood and preparation in 1:1-4:13, His ministry in 4:14-9:50, His rejection in 9:51-19:27, and His crucifixion and resurrection and appearances in 19:28-24:53. The key verse is Luke 19:10, ‘For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.’ Jesus was here to seek and save those lost in sin. During His ‘ministry’ phase, we have three sections of verses (Luke 6:46-49, 9:23, and 14:25-15:2) that explain the Christian as a disciple from Jesus’ own lips. Questions specific to this passage: When you became a Christian, what did you see as the cost of being a disciple of Jesus? In 14:26,27,33 we see the three conditions for being a disciple of Jesus; what are they? In :25, draw a picture of the scene. In :26, what do Jesus’ words mean to us today? How does Matthew 10:37-38 help us better understand? In :27, what did a cross mean during Jesus’ time? How can we use this condition practically? In :28-30, what are the details of the first illustration? How do they fit in with Jesus’ teaching on discipleship? In :31-32, what is the second illustration? How do these two illustrations enable us to better understand discipleship? In :33, what does Jesus’ third condition for following Him involve? In :34-35, Jesus starts talking about salt; how does this fit in with the cost of discipleship? What good is tasteless salt? How can we remain tasty? In 15:1-2, who responded and who didn’t? Why? APPLICATION Icebreaker question: “The best thing I did this past month was…?” 1. What is the main emphasis of the writer in Luke 14:25-15:2? If you were sharing these truths with another, what are three points you would make? 2. Read Luke 6:40. What is the impact this verse has on your life? 3. Read Luke 14:16-15:2. As you consider what Jesus described as the “costs” of following Him, what was the first thing that came to your mind? What would occur if Jesus wasn’t first in each of these areas: your relationships, your own life, your direction, your possessions? In what areas do you struggle taking back control from Jesus? What excuses do you use for “not coming to the dinner,” for “not being a disciple of Jesus” in every area? 4. How do these passages practically impact your everyday walk? How should your thinking, speech, actions, and/or choices change? Please be specific, practical, personal! For further study: (1) Be sure you read and/or listen to the message on “The Christian as a Disciple” by Joel Berger. You can get hold of these resources on the hilltopchurch.net website. The written message is also attached to this assignment sheet. (2) Also read the three-page handout “An Introduction to Discipleship” by Joel Berger. Discipleship 101—THE CHRISTIAN AS A DISCIPLE (Luke 14:25-15:2) Page 1 of 4 Jesus in Luke 6:40 makes an amazing statement: A disciple is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. A disciple is a learner. For each of us, that means we need to be careful who we choose to follow because we’ll become like him/her! As Christians, our chosen teacher is Jesus! We’re to come to Him, learn from Him, and follow Him. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? I considered sharing Luke 6:46-49 or Luke 9:23, but I finally decided on Luke 14:16-15:2. We’ll cover the other two passages in D201. Luke was a doctor. He traveled with the apostle Paul on part of Paul’s missionary journeys. Doing extensive research, Luke wrote this Gospel in the late 50s A.D. Writing to non-Jewish readers, Luke presents Jesus as the perfect human, the human who was absolutely dependent upon His Father while on this earth. The key verse is Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Here is the Christian as a disciple from Jesus’ own lips. Please slowly, meditatively read Luke 14:16-15:2. Here Jesus states: “You can’t be My disciple unless…!” In :16- 24, it was an open, compelling invitation to ALL to come to Him. Now He turns to the huge crowd and gives three conditions for being His disciple. What Jesus says in these verses is mandatory to understanding what Christianity is about—both for initial salvation and for growth. I still remember the day when these three conditions struck me. :25a Now large crowds were going along with Him. Jesus wanted these curious and sensation-seeking people to realize there was a cost to following Him, to coming to the dinner. This was a deliberate attempt to check the unthinking enthusiasm of the crowds. Why? True Christianity costs us everything!! It costs our relationships, our lives, our goals, our possessions. Then if they are given back to us by our Lord Jesus, we realize how gracious He is and that all these are His, not ours. Jesus lays down the demands because they are the way to life, to live as God intended. :25b-26 And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” If you come to Jesus and don’t hate your closest relationships and your own life, then you can’t be Jesus’ disciple! Whoa! Hate is a strong word! And the word hate does mean hate! We must measure His words in light of His other words in Matthew 10:37, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” In other places Jesus tells His followers love others, even their enemies.