The Disciple’s Commitment and Daily Walk.

Class Outline:

Sunday June 8, 2025

 

 

Intro: It is God’s desire for every person to become a disciple of Christ. That means it is man’s destiny, but with free-will added in. Since none are forced (“anyone who wishes”) it is faith in the truth that determines your destiny and future reward.

 

Text summary: MAT 16:24-28

 

1. 1. Being a disciple: “anyone who wishes” and three conditions.
   2. “will find” and “will ruin / lose” are futures. Ultimately known at JSOC for believer and GWTJ for unbeliever.
   3. Value of human life: what are you willing to exchange for it (Faust)? On the positive side: Do you know that God has given every believer all the value of the life He desires?
   4. The Messiah who suffers and dies will become the judge of every person: His reward is based on your maintaining your obedience to Christ (not quantity but function).
   5. We must see the victorious, enthroned Savior, our Savior, Husband, King - a personal Lord in your life is the key to obedience (not an ideal - but Him).

 

Main idea: If anyone wants to get behind Jesus he has to lose his life for Jesus’ sake, whom he sees, and he will receive great reward, but to save oneself will only end in loss.

 

Jesus’ teaching in MAT 16:24-28 is that you have to make two final decisions followed by one continuous decision. The first two involve self and the third, Him. 

 

Deny yourself (aorist imperative). 

 

Forsake others (not love anyone more than Him; MAT 10:38). 

 

Forsake selfish desires (MAT 16:24). 

 

Break hold of material blessings (MAR 10:21). 

 

Peter’s failure in the previous paragraph shows us that discipleship must be constantly renegotiated. 

 

Positive side: The Lord is life itself.

 

DEU 10:20

 “You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name.”

 

GAL 2:20

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

 

PHI 3:7-8

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.

 

Pick up your cross (aorist imperative).

 

You will bear all the trouble that comes upon you with the mind of Christ and have a willingness to take the burden of all deeds God wills for you. 

 

Death to self and a determination that one is going to be a living, active, and willing servant of God. 

 

Augustine: “What is, ‘Let him take up his cross’? Let him bear whatever trouble he has; so let him follow Me. For when he shall begin to follow Me in conformity to My life and precepts, he will have many … to dissuade him, and that from among those who are even as it were Christ’s companions.”

 

Luther, who concluded that bearing the cross “should be the kind of suffering which we have not chosen ourselves… It should be the kind of suffering which, if it were possible, we would gladly be rid of, suffering visited upon by the devil of the world… This the fanatics, who select their own cross, cannot do… They are wrong, not only with respect to their choosing their own cross, but also in that they flaunt their suffering and make a great merit of it and this blaspheme God, because it is not a true suffering but a stinking, self-chosen suffering.”

 

Our cross can be seen in its uniqueness: not all have the same burdens.

 

What needs to be included and incorporated is that the cross means death.

 

PHI 1:21

 

Keep following Me (present imperative).

 

Keep behind the personal presence of the Lord. 

 

The personal presence of the Lord is what makes Christian discipleship both possible and desirable. 

 

Turning your back on yourself and live every day following Christ without applause and even to die. 

 

Application: 

 

Take a moment alone with God and ask Him to see if you have made the first two faith commitments: deny self and pick up your cross. 

 

Start a practice at the end of each day to examine if you have followed Him? When yes and when no (examen). 

 

"Examen" likely refers to the Ignatian Examen, a Christian spiritual practice rooted in the teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola. It’s a reflective prayer or meditation designed to help individuals review their day, recognize God’s presence, and discern their spiritual path. Below is a summary based on common interpretations of the practice:

 

Summary of the Ignatian Examen

The Examen is a structured, daily exercise (typically 10-15 minutes) that fosters self-awareness, gratitude, and alignment with one’s values or faith. It involves five key steps:

 

Give Thanks: Begin by expressing gratitude for the day’s blessings, big or small, acknowledging God’s presence or life’s gifts.

 

Ask for Grace: Seek guidance or clarity to see the day honestly, often through prayer or intention-setting.

 

Review the Day: Reflect on the day’s events, emotions, and actions, noticing moments of joy, struggle, or growth, and where you felt connected or disconnected from your values.

 

Seek Forgiveness: Acknowledge mistakes, shortcomings, or moments of selfishness, seeking reconciliation or forgiveness where needed.

 

Look Forward: Resolve to live with greater awareness or intention tomorrow, setting a focus for growth or improvement.

 

There is nothing more important than following Christ. It is the only life of humanity as made and spoken by the Creator.