Discouraging Superficial Discipleship | Matthew 8:18-22

Scripture

• Matthew 8:18–22

About this sermon

Introduction: Which one of us cannot identify with the sadness, the concern, of having a loved one who names the name of Christ but evidences a serious misunderstanding of the Christian life? It might be a parent, or a child, or a sibling. It might be a friend, or a co-worker. It might be the person to whom you are married. BUT THEIR PROFESSION OF FAITH IN JESUS IS NOT MATCHED BY A LIFE OF GENUINE DISCIPLESHIP. The world is full of people who proclaim their loyalty to Christ. Full of people who proclaim themselves Christians. But give serious reasons to be concerned about their true spiritual condition. It’s important to remember that disciples were first called Christians by the world. NAU Acts 11:25 And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. It was a label set on them by others because they were so clearly associated with Christ. They were not like their world. They were not like other people. IT WASN’T A PECULIARITY (STRANGENESS) BASED ON A SELF-STYLED SUBCULTURE. Sadly, in our day this is what characterizes many professing Christians, our uniqueness in the world is the product of temporal preferences. Then, those popular preferences come to characterize us. Known for our skepticism regarding modern approaches to medicine. Known for our willingness to get bogged down in conspiracy theories (which sometimes prove to be true!) Known for our own version of what is on the cultural cutting edge, in food, or homespun remedies. THAT ISN’T CHRISTIAN UNIQUENESS. THAT’S A SUBCULTURE EXPLAINED BY HUMAN NATURE. What made the disciples different from their world was their belief in Christ and their devotion to doing His will. What made them different was their fidelity to the truths that were known in Him and being revealed through the apostles. What made them different was their love for each other and their zeal to make Christ known and that their loyalties and practices had changed. We have arrived at a place where there are multitudes of people who designate themselves Christians, that apart from that self-designation, are virtually indistinguishable from their world — if we measure that difference by TRUE BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN DISTINCTIVES. What characterizes many professing Christians are worldly pleasures, worldly philosophies, worldly priorities, worldly companions, worldly moral values — WITH JESUS ADDED. What has contributed to this is that our approach to people wanting to join the company of disciples is often different than what we see in Jesus Himself. WE ARE ANXIOUS TO ADD PEOPLE — HE WAS NOT. WE ARE SOMETIMES UNWILLING TO PRESS ON THEIR CLAIMS — HE WAS NOT. WE ARE SOMETIMES SATISFIED BY LARGER NUMBERS OF FOLLOWERS — HE WAS NOT. CHRIST’S LOVE FOR PEOPLE WAS NEVER SUPERICIAL, THEREFORE THE EVALUATION OF PEOPLE WAS NEVER SUPERFICIAL. NOTE: We must distinguish our ability to evaluate people from that of Jesus. But, at the same time, we must learn something from the way that HE DID EVALUATE PEOPLE. Christ’s authority is now seen over the people themselves. He had authority over disease. He had authority over demons. And now we see that He has authority over disciples. Jesus has the right to call people to follow Him. Jesus has the right to evaluate the people who claim to want to follow Him. Jesus demands that His followers come on His terms, not their own. TWO MAIN POINTS TONIGHT. GENUINE DISCIPLESHIP EMBRACES TRUE TREASURE (vs.19-20) Jesus gives orders to go to the other side of the sea of Galilee. But, before He could leave (vs.23), there were two men who proclaimed a desire to go with Him. In each case there was something defective in what they wanted to do. And in both cases, Jesus identified what was defective. The first was a scribe. He is a Jewish teacher of the law. And what is plain is that he was full of enthusiasm. Hearing the teaching of Jesus, hearing about and witnessing the miracles of Jesus, this man wanted TO BE WITH JESUS. He wanted to be with Jesus in a full-time capacity.

Topics

• Discipleship