"Four attributes of a disciple"
"If the death and resurrection of Jesus is just some doctrine we accept, our 'want to' is going to be weak."
"And calling the crowd to Him with His disciples, He said, 'If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me." Mark 8:34
It is often said that this verse contains the three steps of discipleship: denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Jesus. Actually, that summary overlooks the initial attribute of discipleship - the intense WANTING to come after Jesus, to be a disciple. Of course, since most pastors have failed to communicate to their sheep that to be a Christian is to be a disciple, (see the post "Pastors are to blame. Really!"), most professing Christians don't approach life from a discipleship perspective or realize the importance of the four attributes found here.
"If anyone would (wants to) come after Me..." As reflected by the "wants to" in the parenthesis, the word "would" means to want to, to have the desire to come after Jesus. Where does this "want to" come from? Or, to state it another way, why do we see so few disciples in the crowd? One of the questions I like to use to evaluate where people might be in their relationship with God is to ask them what it means to be saved. Most people answer, "I am saved because Jesus died on the cross to take away my sins." My response is usually, "Very good. That is true. But why did Jesus' dying on the cross take away your sins?" The answer usually returns , "Well, He shed His blood so our sins could be forgiven." Usually, this response is wrapped in some uncertainty. However, the more complete answer to the question is that while Jesus was hanging on the cross suffering, His physical suffering was multiplied by the fact he was bearing the guilt and punishment for every sin that would be commited by every human being who has lived, is living and will live to the end of time. What was the punishment? It wasn't just death, but the punishment, the hell that is deserved for every sin committed by everyone. It is impossible to comprehend totally what this was like, but we can understand that His physical torment was multiplied exponentially by the eternal torment he also experienced since that contributes to our "want to." If the death and resurrection of Jesus is only some doctrine which we have come to accept, our "want to" is going to be weak. If we see, by faith, the total punishment for our sins on Jesus, it becomes so personal, so overwhelming, that we intensely "want to" respond with discipleship.
"...let him deny himself..." Only faith in the triune God and the sacrifice of Jesus will build such a desire to follow Jesus and "want to" deny one's self. The Apostle Paul says it this way,
"...and He died for all that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." II Corinthians 5:15
By nature, we are selfish, self-absorbed, etc. Only the heartfelt love for and appreciation of God's sending His Son and Jesus' bearing our sin debt can motivate a person to deny himself.
"...take up his cross..." Notice the disciple's cross is referenced here, not Jesus'. Jesus' cross was a once and for all exprience, No, our cross is whatever we might suffer on behalf of Jesus while being His disciple. Disciples will suffer for Jesus. It might be in family relationships. It might be slander. It might be by the government. It might be at the hands of liberal, professing Christians. There are multitudes of ways. But suffering will happen if we are truly exercising discipleship.
"...and follow Me." As Jesus followed the perfect will of His Heavenly Father (John 4:34), we follow Him and His perfect will. This requires being taught to observe all things Jesus has commanded His disciples (Matthew 28:19).
Are you a disciple? Do you have an overwhelming desire to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus?
There are a couple of more attributes of being a disciple we will now cover in the post, "Love and accountability."
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