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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/david-richards/discipleship/
But I want to read part of two verses first of all in Matthew chapter 10. I guess I should put my glasses on. I need glasses to be able to read but I don't need them to see you. I guess I'm not old enough.
Matthew chapter 10 and verse 1. And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples. Now verse 2 please. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. I want you to notice in verse 1 it's the twelve disciples.
In verse 2 it's the twelve apostles. Word apostle means a sent one. They were disciples before they were sent ones. Luke chapter 14 please. And verse 16. I'm sorry not verse 16. Verse 25. And there went great multitudes with him and he turned and said unto them if any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my disciple.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost where they have sufficient to finish it lest happily after he have laid the foundation and is not able to finish it all that behold it begin to mock him saying this man began to build and was not able to finish.
Or what king going to make war against another king sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand or else while the other is yet a great way off he sendeth an ambassage and desire with conditions of peace.
So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple. Salt is good but if the salt have lost his savor wherewith shall it be seasoned. It is neither fit for the land nor yet for the dunghill but men cast it out.
He that hath ears to hear let him hear. There's no prize to those who guess what I'm going to speak about this afternoon I want to speak about the subject of discipleship. I want you to notice as I mentioned that the disciples were called disciples before they were sent ones they had to learn before they were sent.
Interesting that the Greek word comes from a verb that means to learn and that Greek word is the roots of our English word mathematics which actually means disposed to learn. I was interested to discover that recently the word doesn't appear in the New Testament after Acts chapter 21.
In other words you never read the word disciple in the epistles and some have presumed from that that the name disciple was displaced by the name Christian. But you'll notice please that it was way back in Acts chapter 11 that we read the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
The reason I say that is obviously the word disciple was still used after Acts chapter 11 because it appears in chapter 21. So even though the term disciple doesn't appear in the epistles yet the truth of discipleship appears throughout the New Testament.
And by the way the term Christian only appears once in the epistles. If I remember rightly it's twice in the Gospels or rather twice in the Acts and once in the epistles. But other than that it doesn't appear.
So it isn't displaced by the term Christian. Both of them actually have a very similar idea as far as what they represent they are both terms of reproach. Now I don't know what you feel when you read these verses that we've read here this afternoon I'm reminded of the parable the Lord Jesus told of the talents back in Matthew chapter 25.
I'm not going to go into that just to say this match much. The man that was given one talent he said to his master. I know that thou art an austere man. So he had a misconception of the master. And as you read the verses that we've read together and especially when three times over we read the expression cannot be my disciple.
On the surface of it it seems that the Lord is being very harsh. But what I want to one us to understand it is this. If you and I are going to be something for God in a world that is hostile then these words become very appropriate to each one of us.
The Lord Jesus does not say he can be a lesser disciple. He says he cannot be my disciple. Now I'll outline the verses just in case I don't have time to cover them all. First of all in verse 25 we have uncommitted multitudes.
Verse 26 we have unrivaled loyalty. Verse 27 unavoidable suffering and reproach. Verses 28 to 32 unthinking commitment that divides up into two parts because the Lord uses two illustrations. Verses 28 to 30 we have an unfinished project.
Verses 31 and 32 we have an unchallenged foe. Then verse 33 we have on hesitating renunciation. And verses 34 and 35 unsavory followers. Now it breaks down a little bit more than that but if I have time to deal with it we'll get there.
I want us to think first of all of verse 25. There we read and there went great multitudes with him and he turned and said unto them. Now we know what he said to them. What I want us to see in that connection is what the Lord Jesus had to say to this multitude of people was not conducive to getting the multitude to follow him.
You know we're living in the days of the super churches. There are some churches that boast of having to 20 ,000 members. And it seems that in the day in which we live you're not successful unless you can build up a small congregation of people into a huge congregation of people.
But what the Lord Jesus said to the multitude certainly would not encourage the multitude to follow him. Our job as servants of Christ is not to suit our messages to the audience in the sense of giving them what they want.
Our responsibility is to give them what they need. So you have here the uncommitted multitudes. And no doubt amongst the multitudes that were following the Lord Jesus at that point in time there would be those who later cried away with him crucify him.
We don't need the big crowds. I go over to Russia every year. Sometimes I'm sitting down with two people teaching them the Word of God. I tell you this much brethren and sisters. I would rather sit down with two people who really want to learn than a vast crowd of people who just really are not interested.
Far more can be accomplished with a few that are dedicated then with a huge number of people that are not interested. The Lord started out with 12. Okay so you've got the uncommitted multitude. Then I want us to see please in verse 26 unrivaled loyalty.
If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yay. And his own life also he cannot be my disciple now. I don't have time to elaborate on this only to say this much what we have here is a comparative term.
Jacob. Have I loved Esau. Have I hated. Do you. And I think that God hated Esau. I don't think so I think what we have here there is a comparison by comparison with his love for Jacob. His attitude to Esau was one of hatred.
The Lord Jesus tells us quite clearly he that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Parents are told to love their children. Husbands are told to love their wives. So you can hardly read into this verse the literal statement that we should hate father and mother and wife and children.
It's a comparative term. In other words if you're going to become anything for God Christ must come first. Not your father not your mother not your wife not your children and most of all not yourself.
It's Christ that must come first. So if God is calling you to service for him you'll listen to him. Won't you now don't get me wrong. I do believe that if I'm going to serve the Lord in any capacity in the work of God I have to take my wife into account.
When I first started going to Russia I had to consider my wife. I'm thankful to God that I have a wife who was not only willing to go for me to go but who is willing to come with me. But it could have been otherwise.
But if you're going to be anything for God Christ must come first. I remember when my wife and I first started going together we we didn't go together as husband and wife. We went together as boyfriend and girlfriend.
But when we first started going together I can remember sitting on a park bench in Cardiff in South Wales and talking about the work of God. And I told her at that time what I believe God had in mind for me for the future.
It was going to be quite a number of years after that before the Lord opened the door for me to go into the work of God. But I wanted her to know right from the beginning what I believe the Lord had in mind for me.
And we discover discussed other issues too to do with the assembly and so on. I wanted to know where I stood and I made the statement that when we're married whether you go on with God or not I'm going on with God.
Christ must come first. That's all I'll have to say on that verse. Come with me please to verse 27. And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. I'll tell you what the cross isn't.
It's not my three herniated discs in my lower spine. It's not your poor mother that you have to look after. This is a cross that is deliberately taken up. And it's not the cross of Christ either by the way because when the Lord Jesus said this he hadn't been to the cross yet.
The disciples would very easily understand what the Lord meant by taking up a cross. Death by crucifixion was not only an extremely cruel and painful way to die. It was the worst form of death that any Jew could ever imagine.
Because the scripture says cursed is every man that hangeth on a tree. This is unavoidable reproach and suffering if you're going to be anything for God if you're going to become not just a disciple but an apostle.
I don't mean that in the technical sense but in the sense of being one whom God will send you must be prepared to pay a price. I'm glad that the work in Mexico was put over in such a way to indicate to us all that it's not all roses that it isn't all fun.
Because I'm convinced of this some have gone into the work of God whether in foreign lands or in the homeland with expectations far beyond what they should have expected. And the end result has been disaster.
Are you prepared to live a life of reproach and suffering. Are you prepared to discover that people don't all agree with what you have to say. I remember one time in Kamloops we were having gospel meetings.
This was one of the early series of gospel meetings after the assembly was formed and the Christians had never known what it is to knock on doors. So I decided that what we would do we would go to to a door just so people could get used to the idea of knocking on doors.
And one brother came with me. He's not in the assembly now he's moved away elsewhere. And the first couple of doors we had a really nice reception. People were friendly. I don't say they came to the meetings but they were friendly and they were polite.
But then when we came to the third door the person was abusive. You know it's amazing. All of a sudden knocking on doors to invite people to a gospel meeting became an outdated mode of of expecting people to come.
In other words this brother from this moment on had no interest in knocking on doors. They're not all friendly. And especially when you go to foreign countries people are not taught politeness like they are in European based countries.
I say European based because basically North America is a European based country. Although that's changing. We know they're not all taught to be polite. Are you prepared to serve God in situations where you will find yourself exposed to all sorts of abuse.
Hmm. Okay let's move on please. Times rapidly running away. We're supposed to be finished by quarter after I'll try. Verses 28 to 32 we have two illustrations of unthinking commitment. Verses 28 to 30 we have an unfinished project.
Verses 31 and 32 we have an unchallenged foe. Why. Two illustrations. Well I do believe it does give us two sides of discipleship. First of all what's the purpose of a tower in Bible days. Well they would put a tower in in a garden for example.
And the purpose of the tower in the garden was to look out for enemies. For for creatures that would come and for example would take the grapes from the from the garden. Or you could have a tower in relation to a city.
And the purpose of the tower was to watch out for the enemy that were going to come and seek to destroy. So in relation to the building of a tower it reminds me of the importance of watchfulness of being on the tower looking out for enemies.
Because there are enemies we are going to find ourselves faced with all sorts of situations that are not desirable situations. As far as we are concerned there's a need to be watchful. On the other hand you've also got the story of the man going against his.
He's only got 10 ,000 and the enemy's got 20 ,000. Well there of course we learn that discipleship involves warfare. Right. Paul says we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities.
Against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this age against spiritual wickednesses in the I won't elaborate on that for the sake of time. First of all go back please with me to verse 28. Verse 28 we have an unforeseen cost.
It says. For which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he have sufficient to finish it. So if you're going to be a true disciple of the Lord Jesus you must sit down and count the cost.
To be a follower of the Lord Jesus involves a price that must be paid. Sit down and count the cost. Then please. Verses 29 and 30 we have unnecessary derision he says lest happily after he have laid the foundation and is not able to finish it all that behold it begin to mock him saying this man began to build and was not able to finish.
We'll see when we come to the end of the chapter. But the world although they don't particularly love Christians what they love even less than Christians are hypocrites people who make great claims but don't follow through with it.
So here's a man and without giving much thought about it he decides he's going to build a tower and he runs out of material and the tower remains unfinished. I remember one time when we had not long been in Canada we were in Abbotsford and my wife and I went out for a walk and we went into the area of AB.
Well it was Clearbrook. At that time we went into this area and here was a whole stretch of homes street after street after street where the homes had not been finished. Now whether they were all one project or not.
Probably they were. I don't know but there had been a change in the economy and here were all these homes left unfinished. Sometimes you know Christian life can be like that. We have a good start but don't have a good finish.
We have to sit down. We have to analyze what it costs to be a follower of the Lord Jesus. We'll see what conclusion we should draw shortly. Okay now come with me to the next illustration. Please. Verse 31.
Or what. King going to make war against another King sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able with 10 ,000 to meet him that cometh against him with 20 ,000. So in both of these illustrations the individual must sit down first and count the cost.
Okay now then please verse 32. Or else while the other is yet a great way off he sendeth an ambassage and desirous conditions of peace. So before ever you decide you're going to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus.
Sit down and count the cost. Listen. It won't cost you anything to become a Christian. It will cost you a great deal to live the Christian life. That's the point isn't it. So you really need to sit down and determine are you really willing to go through with this young Christian.
Maybe someone here you've only recently been saved. Sit down and realize that for you to be a follower a disciple of the Lord Jesus is going to cost you something. Sit down and analyze what the cost will be to be a follower of the Lord Jesus.
We heard didn't we of a man who was it when he got baptized. The suitcase was placed outside the door. I heard of a young woman who decided she was going to be baptized. Her father said to her if you go through with this you're going to have to leave the home.
She struggled with it. She decided she was going to go through with it. She got up in the morning dressed packed her things and just before she went out the door she decided she was going to sit down at the piano.
I can't remember offhand the police that she peace that she played. But her father was hiding behind the drape and before she left the house he said stop. I didn't know who he meant so much to you. She didn't have to go through with it.
But many if Christian has I have a book at home. It's only a thin book. It's called the costly calling. It's about people in Muslim lands who trusted Christ as their Savior. One was just I think a teenage boy he had just got saved and he went home and he told his dad his dad beat him to death.
Literally beat him to death. Listen. We don't have to pay too much of a price yet in North America. But who knows what ten years will produce. It's not as easy today as it was ten years ago. Sit down and count the cost.
But what is the conclusion that we're supposed to draw when we sit down and count the cost whether it be for the building of a tower or going against the enemy. What conclusion are we supposed to draw.
Are we supposed to decide. Well I really can't afford the price. No no. Cook at the next verse please. Verse 33. So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple.
That's the only conclusion you can draw. The important thing is you must understand that there is a price in following Christ. But the conclusion that you must draw is not only that there is a price to pay but by the grace of God you're going to be willing to pay the price.
Here we have then unhesitating renunciation. Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath. That word forsaketh not literally means to say goodbye to whosoever he be of you. That doesn't say goodbye to everything that he hath cannot be my disciple.
Does that mean that we have to give up everything that we've got. No it doesn't mean that we have to give up everything that we've got. But it does mean that we're willing to give up everything we've got.
If that's the will of God I mentioned yesterday. Didn't I Paul infer in Philippians chapter 2 chapter 3 what things were gained to me. Those I counted loss for Christ. Yea rather. And I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
Now isn't it easy to be able to make a statement like that. It is to just say it but to say it and really mean it. Sometimes we make statements and we think we mean it until God puts us to the test. Paul says.
For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but refuse that I might gain Christ. Christ meant so much to him that everything else everything material lost its attractiveness to him.
So that for Paul even though he lost everything he really didn't feel as though he paid any price at all because what he got was far exceedingly above anything that he had ever lost. That's why Paul could say this light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
Paul are you beside yourself this light of affliction. Think of all that Paul went through as a Christian. Ah. But he says I'm comparing this light affliction with a weight of glory. On the other hand he could say which is.
But for a moment Paul you went through it for years. Yes. But he says I'm comparing it with an eternal weight of glory. So it to Paul. I think if you were to talk to Paul about the things that he suffered for the purpose of Christ he might say to you what things.
I don't remember suffering anything because what he had in compensation far exceeded anything he'd lost. Listen you and I can go in for short-term gain and long-term loss. Or we can go in for short-term loss and long-term gain.
I'll let you work out which is the wiser to go for. Do you want short-term gain and long-term loss. Or do you want short-term loss and long-term gain. Unhesitating renunciation. Verses 34 and 35 have gone over the time.
Unsavory followers. I'll just refer to it. Salt is good. But if the salt has lost his savor where with it where with all shall it be a season. It is neither fit for the land nor yet for the dunghill. But men.
Or they cast it out. He that hath ears to hear let him hear. Listen. The world doesn't love a hypocrite. The world doesn't love a Christian who has lost his saltness. May you and I make up our minds that we're going to be something for God the Lord.
Bless his word.