LOGOS BIBLE STUDY
LESSON 204 – DISCIPLESHIP
IMPORTANT NOTE: We are to become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and not of a man, (or a church or a denomination as is customary) – 1 Corinthians 3:3-7. True discipleship is being led of the Spirit of God who knows what you need to learn and to be trained in – John 16:12-15 and Romans 8:13-14.
I. What is a disciple? A dedicated and committed follower.
A. Discipulus: from discere to learn – one who learns under the tutelage of a teacher or master and
conforms to the principles taught.
1. Refers to one who is under discipline of the master/teacher.
a. Implies strict and intense instruction.
B. Discipline: (from discipulus) – training which corrects, molds, strengthens or perfects.
1. Control over the disciple by enforcing order, codes, etc.
a. As an animal trainer keeps a leash on the animal while instructing and walking through
exercises contrary to that animal’s nature.
C. The twelve followers of Christ where called disciples because they had to forsake all to follow
Jesus – Matthew 19:27.
1. They had to be disciples before they could qualify as His apostles.
a. His representatives sent by Him into the world.
II. Becoming a Disciple – the Christian Soldier’s “Boot Camp”, (the military pattern is a good example).
A. “Boot camp” or Basic Training is for the new recruit to learn discipline – how to live and function
under direction of higher authority – Luke 6:46.
1. In the military, Basic Training has three objectives.
a. First, strip you of your individualism or personal identity.
i. You are no longer recognized as a self-centered individual.
ii. You do not deserve any rights or privileges.
aa. Involves severe conflict with your will – it must die.
iii. You live only for the will of your superior and the organism of which you now belong.
b. Second, learn the command structure and who is in authority.
i. You learn to recognize authority, rank and chain of command.
ii. Learn to follow commands without question, discussion, argument, negotiation or complaint.
aa. For this reason some orders do not make any sense or seem to be unreasonable.
iii. You learn what is required of you – faithful obedience to any and all commands.
c. Third, you are built up to a place where can function as part of the new system.
i. You attain recognition of what you now are – a soldier or warrior that is well equipped to serve.
ii. You are now have confidence in the system you are part of as a team member.
iii. You have also developed personal confidence having a new self- image.
aa. You are now part of a “can do” team and no longer an individual.
B. With Basic Training completed you are now ready for placement or specialized training for a
specific role or task.
1. Discipleship is the process that prepares the believer or the next phase of training, we can
call it “tech school”.
a. This is where the believer is prepared for specific ministry or function in the Body of Christ.
C. Why this seemingly hard route? You don’t meet the requirements of the job He has for you
as a new believer.
1. Some of what you think you know has to be unlearned.
a. There is a wrong way, man’s way; then there is the right way, the Lords’ way.
2. Then you need to learn to do things God’s way, not mans’ way – Matthew 7:21-23.
a. Martha is compared to Mary, one busy serving the other seeking to learn from the
master - Luke 10:38-42.
III. An invitation to discipleship – Matthew 4:18-19 and 11:28-30.
A. Submit to being directed by the Spirit of Christ as your Lord and Master – Luke 6:46-49.
1. “Follow” means to become a disciple as used in Matthew 4 above.
2. “Yoke” as used on oxen is a means of guiding and controlling.
a. No longer do you roam free to do your own thing.
i. With His York on you, you are under His control so He can direct your paths.
ii. You take this yoke by willful submission to Him and seeking his guidance – Matthew 16:24.
iii. You will be directed to carry out His will for your life.
B. True discipleship is motivated by love for Christ as is revealed in Matthew 10:37-39.
1. Submission to Jesus Christ is essential before the process of discipleship can commence.
a. Otherwise, after having begun you may want out because there is a big price to pay - death to self-will.
b. Total commitment is required.
c. Such commitment and submission can come only with strong faith and love for Jesus and the Father.
2. The priority of your personal relationships are re-arranged – Matthew 6:33.
a. Christ (and God) first, who must supersede all others – Matthew 10:37, (also see
Luke 14:25-26 and 18:28-30).
i. Relationship to Christ is so important and so intense that you relationship to family is like
hating or forsaking them in comparison.
ii. To “hate” or “forsake” is not literal but comparative as to how much more you prefer your relationship to Christ. aa. If it were literal, it would be out of harmony with other scripture commands to love and provide for them – 1 Timothy 5:8.
C. Death to self is required; the work of the cross in your life – Luke 9:23.
1. The cross is the symbol of death (crucifixion).
a. It is where your self-will and His will cross.
i. He will not force His will on you – it must be sought after and submitted to.
ii. Your will (desires and intentions) must die there.
iii. His will can then be established in you.
b. Thus the need for “self” to die on the cross rather than to “preserve” the soul-ish self.
i. Christ’s cross was for physical death as the sacrifice for sin.
ii. Our cross is for soul-ish death, the self-will to be sacrificed – Romans 12:1.
2. Daily, you must die to self, your own desires and will – Luke 22:42b.
a. The self-will seems to resurrect itself daily, (even hourly), and must be kept under
subjection – 1 Corinthians 15:31.
D. Why must the “self-will” die?
1. Your “will” opposes His will, so yours must cease because self-will is selfish.
2. It is selfishness that denies love for God and love for others.
a. Which is the great commandment – Matthew 22:36-40.
b. Loves gives, even at your own expense – John 15:13.
c. Selfishness takes, it is the opposite of love.
i. Carnal man is selfish, because of his lust, man likes to take or get rather than give.
ii. The renewed man with the spirit of Christ can now love as God ordained.
3. Jesus was “self-less” because of His love and compassion, He came to give His all.
a. Discipleship is a life of selflessness, (denial of self and its lusts and desires), walking in the
manner of Christ – Luke 22:42.
i. Preferring God’s will over your own will.
b. The apostles taught this in their ministry from house to house – Acts 2:42-46.
i. This is the reason why they could part with earthly possessions.
4. The objective of discipleship is to produce godliness and god-like character and behavior
in His followers.
a. Discipleship is where we are conformed to His image – Romans 8:28-29.
5. The finished product is Faith (Faithfulness), Hope (working and living for the better way in
the Kingdom), and Charity (the God kind of Love) – 1 Corinthians 13:13.
a. These are the divine qualities of the Kingdom of God.
i. Love being the greatest God-like quality.
E. Discipleship produces a form of servitude to God– John 12:24-26.
1. You yield up your own rights to be bound to the will of the Lord as His servant to do His bidding.
2. Discipleship produces servants patterned after Christ.
a. Jesus was His Father’s servant – Isaiah 52:14.
i. He had no rights, He left them all behind – Philippians 2:7-8.
3. A servant has no income, no house, no possessions of his own; he yielded up his rights to such things.
a. A servant lives at his master’s expense – in the masters house, eating his food and provided
for by his master.
i. He has no possessions; however, he has access to more that he himself could possibly ever
have on his own.
4. He has no right to do his own thing, but only what his master wants – Luke 17:7-10.
a. The servant is faithful because he knows his master will take good care of him and reward
him – Matthew 24:45-46.
IV. Basic principle in discipleship – Luke 14:27-33.
A. There is a price to pay, so count the cost – it may cost you everything you though was important in your life.
1. The same price Jesus paid; but you don’t have to die physically, only selfishly.
a. Salvation is a free gift, but living the Christian life as a true disciple will cost you dearly as your
old carnal life has to die.
2. Denying self is only the beginning – John 3:30-31.
3. New, sometimes hard experiences are thrust upon you
a. They teach you to apply trust in Him and His Word.
B. The “wilderness” experience – God’s proving ground can be a desolate place.
1. A place of learning dependence and obedience just to survive.
a. His grace is always there to carry you through – 2 Corinthians 12:9
2. A place where your undesirable qualities and behaviors are dealt with, fall off and left
behind – Deuteronomy 8:2-3.
a. This is a place of leanness (denial) of many things you thought were necessary and depended on.
i. Particularly things of the flesh – Romans 13:14, Galatians 5:24 and Galatians 2:20.
b. A place of preparation to enter the “promised land” of His Kingdom and His presence,
learning from Him.
i. An experience the apostle Pau had in the wilderness of Arabia – Galatians 1:15-18.
c. A place of silence; not hearing from God when you want to or make inquiry.
d. A place lacking in of what you think are basic provisions.
i. Yet you find that God makes a way and does provide; just not your way.
e. A place of loneliness; feeling forsaken, rejected by others.
i. By those who cannot or do not identify with your wilderness experience.
ii. Sometimes feeling outcast or shunned by your friends, your church and its leaders, because
they fail to recognize what God is doing in your life.
iii. Sometimes you are spoken of wrongly by other who refuse to walk in discipleship and
Lordship themselves Matthew 10:24-25.
iv. Sometimes accused of sin and rebellion as the reason for what you are experiencing.
f. It is sometimes a place of temptation by the enemy to overthrow your faith and commitment
to the Lord after the trials in the wilderness which may make you feel weak and vulnerable.
i. Similar to what Jesus experienced after His commitment of Himself to God –
Matthew 3:16-4:3.
ii. After the wilderness experience you will discover the power of the Holy Spirit to sustain
you and lead you in His service – Luke 4:14.
C. What is learned by the wilderness experience – total dependence on the Lord and His loving care
and faithfulness.
1. Your sovereign master is in full control.
a. This does not leave room for grumbling or complaining about your experiences.
i. If you committed all to Him, there is no need to question your experiences or His leading.
2. Learning to live in the kingdom of God, in God’s domain, where He has all dominion, power and glory.
a. Learning to live in a different and sovereign realm having different motives.
i. Being in the world but of the world – John 15:18-19 and John 17:14 & 16.
b. Living according to the principles of love, authority, faith obedience humility, and serving
others as Christ did.
D. How does a disciple learn – Matthew 13:9-17.
1. Jesus taught the first disciples by parables (living examples) for a reason.
(Note: Parables Jesus used were true stories and not fables as some think. Jesus knowledge of all things means he did not have to rely on fables.)
a. A disciple desires to know more and will diligently seek to understand .
i. A non-disciple will not be interested and will walk away if he does not understand.
ii. He has no interest or desire to know or understand more.
2. Much of what is learned has to be taught by life experiences.
a. Being in different situations where you see the principles of the Kingdom operate.
i. This is where you learn to apply them.
ii. Examples: Matthew 14:15-21, and 22-33, Matthew 17:14-21.
3. A disciple patterns himself after the one he is a disciple of: like Elijah and Elisha or Paul and Timothy.
a. The disciple spends time with his teacher/master.
i. Watching how his master operates.
ii. Listening to him teach, counsel, or respond to others and situations.
iii. Observing his master’s techniques and how he handles daily matters. aa. Talking and
sharing opinions and views on typical life situations.
b. The traits and qualities of the master are learned and followed by the disciple.
i. The disciple has given up his own will so he can openly learn from his master.
c. We are all to be disciples of Christ, but we need a personal, living example form whom we
receive training as a disciple.
i. Choose carefully who you want to be an understudy of.
aa. They should emulate Jesus Christ – 1 Corinthians 11:1.
V. The Result of Discipleship
A. Growth in spiritual maturity – Matthew 10:2-3.
1. Step by step; experience by experience from the new birth – 1 Peter 2:2.
a. Jesus used children to illustrate spiritual growth in the kingdom of God.
B. Spiritual quality may not be evident until you have completed discipleship and begin to function.
1. Note Peter’s weakness and lack of understanding while a disciple.
a. Lack of understanding – Matthew 16:21-23.
i. Even though he perceived some things – Matthew 16:15-16.
b. His weakness – Matthew 26:69-75.
2. Note Peter’s strength and understanding after discipleship is completed – Acts 2:14.
a. Discipleship may end before you feel prepared to walk it or function.
b. Obviously the Holy Spirit was instrumental in Peter’s ability but this is because the Baptism
in the Holy Spirit is a vital part of discipleship.
i. Without the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, believers fail to go onto the path of true discipleship.
aa. Instead they tend to take other paths being led of man as is common in most
institutional settings.
C. The disciple is now ready to move out into what God has ordained for him/her.
1. The disciple is now prepared to represent his master (Jesus Christ) and function on His behalf.
a. The completed disciple is able to fully operate under the direction of his master who is the
LORD of his life – JESUS CHRIST IS HIS LORD!
i. He now seeks the Lord for direction in how to perform whatever form of ministry is assigned to him – Matthew 7:24-27.
aa. Note whose house is being built – the one made without human hands, the temple
of God – 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.
LESSON 204 – DISCIPLESHIP
IMPORTANT NOTE: We are to become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and not of a man, (or a church or a denomination as is customary) – 1 Corinthians 3:3-7. True discipleship is being led of the Spirit of God who knows what you need to learn and to be trained in – John 16:12-15 and Romans 8:13-14.
I. What is a disciple? A dedicated and committed follower.
A. Discipulus: from discere to learn – one who learns under the tutelage of a teacher or master and
conforms to the principles taught.
1. Refers to one who is under discipline of the master/teacher.
a. Implies strict and intense instruction.
B. Discipline: (from discipulus) – training which corrects, molds, strengthens or perfects.
1. Control over the disciple by enforcing order, codes, etc.
a. As an animal trainer keeps a leash on the animal while instructing and walking through
exercises contrary to that animal’s nature.
C. The twelve followers of Christ where called disciples because they had to forsake all to follow
Jesus – Matthew 19:27.
1. They had to be disciples before they could qualify as His apostles.
a. His representatives sent by Him into the world.
II. Becoming a Disciple – the Christian Soldier’s “Boot Camp”, (the military pattern is a good example).
A. “Boot camp” or Basic Training is for the new recruit to learn discipline – how to live and function
under direction of higher authority – Luke 6:46.
1. In the military, Basic Training has three objectives.
a. First, strip you of your individualism or personal identity.
i. You are no longer recognized as a self-centered individual.
ii. You do not deserve any rights or privileges.
aa. Involves severe conflict with your will – it must die.
iii. You live only for the will of your superior and the organism of which you now belong.
b. Second, learn the command structure and who is in authority.
i. You learn to recognize authority, rank and chain of command.
ii. Learn to follow commands without question, discussion, argument, negotiation or complaint.
aa. For this reason some orders do not make any sense or seem to be unreasonable.
iii. You learn what is required of you – faithful obedience to any and all commands.
c. Third, you are built up to a place where can function as part of the new system.
i. You attain recognition of what you now are – a soldier or warrior that is well equipped to serve.
ii. You are now have confidence in the system you are part of as a team member.
iii. You have also developed personal confidence having a new self- image.
aa. You are now part of a “can do” team and no longer an individual.
B. With Basic Training completed you are now ready for placement or specialized training for a
specific role or task.
1. Discipleship is the process that prepares the believer or the next phase of training, we can
call it “tech school”.
a. This is where the believer is prepared for specific ministry or function in the Body of Christ.
C. Why this seemingly hard route? You don’t meet the requirements of the job He has for you
as a new believer.
1. Some of what you think you know has to be unlearned.
a. There is a wrong way, man’s way; then there is the right way, the Lords’ way.
2. Then you need to learn to do things God’s way, not mans’ way – Matthew 7:21-23.
a. Martha is compared to Mary, one busy serving the other seeking to learn from the
master - Luke 10:38-42.
III. An invitation to discipleship – Matthew 4:18-19 and 11:28-30.
A. Submit to being directed by the Spirit of Christ as your Lord and Master – Luke 6:46-49.
1. “Follow” means to become a disciple as used in Matthew 4 above.
2. “Yoke” as used on oxen is a means of guiding and controlling.
a. No longer do you roam free to do your own thing.
i. With His York on you, you are under His control so He can direct your paths.
ii. You take this yoke by willful submission to Him and seeking his guidance – Matthew 16:24.
iii. You will be directed to carry out His will for your life.
B. True discipleship is motivated by love for Christ as is revealed in Matthew 10:37-39.
1. Submission to Jesus Christ is essential before the process of discipleship can commence.
a. Otherwise, after having begun you may want out because there is a big price to pay - death to self-will.
b. Total commitment is required.
c. Such commitment and submission can come only with strong faith and love for Jesus and the Father.
2. The priority of your personal relationships are re-arranged – Matthew 6:33.
a. Christ (and God) first, who must supersede all others – Matthew 10:37, (also see
Luke 14:25-26 and 18:28-30).
i. Relationship to Christ is so important and so intense that you relationship to family is like
hating or forsaking them in comparison.
ii. To “hate” or “forsake” is not literal but comparative as to how much more you prefer your relationship to Christ. aa. If it were literal, it would be out of harmony with other scripture commands to love and provide for them – 1 Timothy 5:8.
C. Death to self is required; the work of the cross in your life – Luke 9:23.
1. The cross is the symbol of death (crucifixion).
a. It is where your self-will and His will cross.
i. He will not force His will on you – it must be sought after and submitted to.
ii. Your will (desires and intentions) must die there.
iii. His will can then be established in you.
b. Thus the need for “self” to die on the cross rather than to “preserve” the soul-ish self.
i. Christ’s cross was for physical death as the sacrifice for sin.
ii. Our cross is for soul-ish death, the self-will to be sacrificed – Romans 12:1.
2. Daily, you must die to self, your own desires and will – Luke 22:42b.
a. The self-will seems to resurrect itself daily, (even hourly), and must be kept under
subjection – 1 Corinthians 15:31.
D. Why must the “self-will” die?
1. Your “will” opposes His will, so yours must cease because self-will is selfish.
2. It is selfishness that denies love for God and love for others.
a. Which is the great commandment – Matthew 22:36-40.
b. Loves gives, even at your own expense – John 15:13.
c. Selfishness takes, it is the opposite of love.
i. Carnal man is selfish, because of his lust, man likes to take or get rather than give.
ii. The renewed man with the spirit of Christ can now love as God ordained.
3. Jesus was “self-less” because of His love and compassion, He came to give His all.
a. Discipleship is a life of selflessness, (denial of self and its lusts and desires), walking in the
manner of Christ – Luke 22:42.
i. Preferring God’s will over your own will.
b. The apostles taught this in their ministry from house to house – Acts 2:42-46.
i. This is the reason why they could part with earthly possessions.
4. The objective of discipleship is to produce godliness and god-like character and behavior
in His followers.
a. Discipleship is where we are conformed to His image – Romans 8:28-29.
5. The finished product is Faith (Faithfulness), Hope (working and living for the better way in
the Kingdom), and Charity (the God kind of Love) – 1 Corinthians 13:13.
a. These are the divine qualities of the Kingdom of God.
i. Love being the greatest God-like quality.
E. Discipleship produces a form of servitude to God– John 12:24-26.
1. You yield up your own rights to be bound to the will of the Lord as His servant to do His bidding.
2. Discipleship produces servants patterned after Christ.
a. Jesus was His Father’s servant – Isaiah 52:14.
i. He had no rights, He left them all behind – Philippians 2:7-8.
3. A servant has no income, no house, no possessions of his own; he yielded up his rights to such things.
a. A servant lives at his master’s expense – in the masters house, eating his food and provided
for by his master.
i. He has no possessions; however, he has access to more that he himself could possibly ever
have on his own.
4. He has no right to do his own thing, but only what his master wants – Luke 17:7-10.
a. The servant is faithful because he knows his master will take good care of him and reward
him – Matthew 24:45-46.
IV. Basic principle in discipleship – Luke 14:27-33.
A. There is a price to pay, so count the cost – it may cost you everything you though was important in your life.
1. The same price Jesus paid; but you don’t have to die physically, only selfishly.
a. Salvation is a free gift, but living the Christian life as a true disciple will cost you dearly as your
old carnal life has to die.
2. Denying self is only the beginning – John 3:30-31.
3. New, sometimes hard experiences are thrust upon you
a. They teach you to apply trust in Him and His Word.
B. The “wilderness” experience – God’s proving ground can be a desolate place.
1. A place of learning dependence and obedience just to survive.
a. His grace is always there to carry you through – 2 Corinthians 12:9
2. A place where your undesirable qualities and behaviors are dealt with, fall off and left
behind – Deuteronomy 8:2-3.
a. This is a place of leanness (denial) of many things you thought were necessary and depended on.
i. Particularly things of the flesh – Romans 13:14, Galatians 5:24 and Galatians 2:20.
b. A place of preparation to enter the “promised land” of His Kingdom and His presence,
learning from Him.
i. An experience the apostle Pau had in the wilderness of Arabia – Galatians 1:15-18.
c. A place of silence; not hearing from God when you want to or make inquiry.
d. A place lacking in of what you think are basic provisions.
i. Yet you find that God makes a way and does provide; just not your way.
e. A place of loneliness; feeling forsaken, rejected by others.
i. By those who cannot or do not identify with your wilderness experience.
ii. Sometimes feeling outcast or shunned by your friends, your church and its leaders, because
they fail to recognize what God is doing in your life.
iii. Sometimes you are spoken of wrongly by other who refuse to walk in discipleship and
Lordship themselves Matthew 10:24-25.
iv. Sometimes accused of sin and rebellion as the reason for what you are experiencing.
f. It is sometimes a place of temptation by the enemy to overthrow your faith and commitment
to the Lord after the trials in the wilderness which may make you feel weak and vulnerable.
i. Similar to what Jesus experienced after His commitment of Himself to God –
Matthew 3:16-4:3.
ii. After the wilderness experience you will discover the power of the Holy Spirit to sustain
you and lead you in His service – Luke 4:14.
C. What is learned by the wilderness experience – total dependence on the Lord and His loving care
and faithfulness.
1. Your sovereign master is in full control.
a. This does not leave room for grumbling or complaining about your experiences.
i. If you committed all to Him, there is no need to question your experiences or His leading.
2. Learning to live in the kingdom of God, in God’s domain, where He has all dominion, power and glory.
a. Learning to live in a different and sovereign realm having different motives.
i. Being in the world but of the world – John 15:18-19 and John 17:14 & 16.
b. Living according to the principles of love, authority, faith obedience humility, and serving
others as Christ did.
D. How does a disciple learn – Matthew 13:9-17.
1. Jesus taught the first disciples by parables (living examples) for a reason.
(Note: Parables Jesus used were true stories and not fables as some think. Jesus knowledge of all things means he did not have to rely on fables.)
a. A disciple desires to know more and will diligently seek to understand .
i. A non-disciple will not be interested and will walk away if he does not understand.
ii. He has no interest or desire to know or understand more.
2. Much of what is learned has to be taught by life experiences.
a. Being in different situations where you see the principles of the Kingdom operate.
i. This is where you learn to apply them.
ii. Examples: Matthew 14:15-21, and 22-33, Matthew 17:14-21.
3. A disciple patterns himself after the one he is a disciple of: like Elijah and Elisha or Paul and Timothy.
a. The disciple spends time with his teacher/master.
i. Watching how his master operates.
ii. Listening to him teach, counsel, or respond to others and situations.
iii. Observing his master’s techniques and how he handles daily matters. aa. Talking and
sharing opinions and views on typical life situations.
b. The traits and qualities of the master are learned and followed by the disciple.
i. The disciple has given up his own will so he can openly learn from his master.
c. We are all to be disciples of Christ, but we need a personal, living example form whom we
receive training as a disciple.
i. Choose carefully who you want to be an understudy of.
aa. They should emulate Jesus Christ – 1 Corinthians 11:1.
V. The Result of Discipleship
A. Growth in spiritual maturity – Matthew 10:2-3.
1. Step by step; experience by experience from the new birth – 1 Peter 2:2.
a. Jesus used children to illustrate spiritual growth in the kingdom of God.
B. Spiritual quality may not be evident until you have completed discipleship and begin to function.
1. Note Peter’s weakness and lack of understanding while a disciple.
a. Lack of understanding – Matthew 16:21-23.
i. Even though he perceived some things – Matthew 16:15-16.
b. His weakness – Matthew 26:69-75.
2. Note Peter’s strength and understanding after discipleship is completed – Acts 2:14.
a. Discipleship may end before you feel prepared to walk it or function.
b. Obviously the Holy Spirit was instrumental in Peter’s ability but this is because the Baptism
in the Holy Spirit is a vital part of discipleship.
i. Without the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, believers fail to go onto the path of true discipleship.
aa. Instead they tend to take other paths being led of man as is common in most
institutional settings.
C. The disciple is now ready to move out into what God has ordained for him/her.
1. The disciple is now prepared to represent his master (Jesus Christ) and function on His behalf.
a. The completed disciple is able to fully operate under the direction of his master who is the
LORD of his life – JESUS CHRIST IS HIS LORD!
i. He now seeks the Lord for direction in how to perform whatever form of ministry is assigned to him – Matthew 7:24-27.
aa. Note whose house is being built – the one made without human hands, the temple
of God – 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.
