The Cost of
Discipleship
At Jesus’ Feet
Discipleship
First Century Background
• Greek = mathetes
• Definition: learner & follower
Discipleship
First Century Background
• Rabbi
• Desire & Submission
• Emulation & Imitation
• Community
• Transparency
Discipleship
First Century Background
• A disciple was one who followed and
learned from his rabbi and his ways
of seeing and doing things.
Discipleship
First Century Background
• Disciples of…
• John the Baptist (Mark 2:18)
• Pharisees (Mark 2:18)
• Moses (John 9:28)
• Jesus (>200 times)
Discipleship
First Century Background
John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting;
and they came and said to Him, "Why do John's
disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast,
but Your disciples do not fast?” (Mark 2:18)
The Great Commission
Make Disciples!
Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them…teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I
am with you always, even to the end of the
age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
The Great Commission
Make Disciples!
Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them…teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I
am with you always, even to the end of the
age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
The Great Commission
Make Disciples!
How?
• Going
• Baptizing
• Teaching to observe ALL
Note: it’s a process
The Great Commission
Make Disciples!
• Thus, a disciple of Jesus is one who is
following and learning from Jesus,
as revealed in Scripture,
about God’s ways of
seeing and doing things.
The Cost of Discipleship
Discipleship is a process
Discipleship has a cost
• Theological misunderstanding
• Justification
• Sanctification
The Cost of Discipleship
Justification
• Declared “righteous” before God
• Delivered from the penalty of sin
• Result of faith in Christ
The Cost of Discipleship
Justification
For we maintain that a man is justified
by faith apart from works…
(Romans 3:28)
The Cost of Discipleship
Sanctification
• Process of spiritual growth
• On-going deliverance from
the power of sin in the
of a believer
• Result of a believer’s
diligent commitment
in following the Lord.
life
The Cost of Discipleship
Sanctification
…so now present your members as
slaves to righteousness, resulting in
sanctification. (Romans 6:19)
The Cost of Discipleship
The Tension…
• The normal Christian life begins
with faith in Christ and should
continue in an ever-growing
commitment to the Lord.
• Tragically, sometimes
believers do not grow.
The Cost of Discipleship
The Tension Predicted
• The Four Soils (Luke 8:5-15)
• Seed taken – no belief
• Seed received – poor root
• Seed received – choked
• Seed received - fruit
• held fast
• persevere
The Cost of Discipleship
The Tension…
• The normal Christian life begins
with faith in Christ and should
continue in an ever-growing
commitment to the Lord.
• Tragically, sometimes
believers do not grow.
The Cost of Discipleship
The normal Christian life begins
with faith in Christ and should
continue in an ever-growing
commitment to the Lord.
The Cost of Discipleship
The normal Christian life begins
with faith in Christ.
For God so loved the
world…that whoever
believes in Him shall not
perish but has everlasting
life. (John 3:16)
The Cost of Discipleship
The normal Christian life begins
with faith in Christ.
…he who hears My word, and
believes Him who sent Me,
has eternal life, and does not
come into judgment, but has
passed out of death into life.
(John 5:24)
The Cost of Discipleship
The normal Christian life begins with
faith in Christ.
…these have been written so that you
may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God; and that believing
you may have life in His name.
(John 20:35)
The Cost of Discipleship
The normal Christian life begins
with faith in Christ and should
continue in an ever-growing
commitment to the Lord.
The Cost of Discipleship
Priority of Sustenance
“Abide”
If you abide in Me and My words abide in
you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be
done for you. By this is My Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and prove (lit. =
become) to be My disciples. (John 15:7-8)
The Cost of Discipleship
Priority of Relationship
“Hate father & mother”
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.
(Luke 14:26)
The Cost of Discipleship
Priority of Purpose
“Carry cross…follow Me”
Whoever does not carry his own cross
and come after Me cannot be My
disciple. (Luke 14:27)
The Cost of Discipleship
Priority of Resources
“Count the cost”
For which one of you, when he wants
to build a tower, does not first sit down
and count the cost, to see if he has
enough to complete it? (Luke 14:28)
The Cost of Discipleship
Priority of Sustenance
Priority of Relationship
Priority of Purpose
Priority of Resources
The Cost of Discipleship
The normal Christian life begins
with faith in Christ and should
continue in an ever-growing
commitment to the Lord.
Final Thoughts & Application
• Discipleship is serious business.
• Jesus must be first of all.
• There is a cost to become a
disciple of Jesus.
• What is preventing
me from fully
following Jesus?
Come to Me, all who are
weary and heavy-laden, and
I will give you rest. Take My
yoke upon you and learn
from Me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will
find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and
My burden is light.
(Matthew 11:28-30)