John #15

“A True Disciple”
October 18, 2009
John 8:31 – 47
Pastor Ben Fleming

In 1973 Walter Hendrickson wrote the book Disciples are Made Not Born. That was the year that I came to Christ as my savior. It was in that year that I stopped having religious faith and God gave me saving faith. It was the year that I began the journey of discovering what it meant to be and live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. I heard about discipleship groups – someone discipling another person – I am not sure that I understood what the word meant – disciple – discipleship – discipler. All I knew was that it was a process to be worked out in my life now that I was a follower of Jesus.

A good definition says that a (SLIDE) disciple = spreads the beliefs of the one they follow. Most people have heard of the disciples of Jesus Christ – most, think of them as the 12 disciples. Jesus told them in Matthew 28:19 “go and make disciples of all nations” – I am glad these guys obeyed Jesus and spread his beliefs? Turn in your bible to John 8:31. The word disciple is used real loosely today. There is a heavy metal band named Disciple, there is a disciple clothing company, a book named the Unlikely Disciple and of course disciples of the devil.

In the church, we often will talk of someone being a follower of Christ as a disciple. Many people think that if I am a Christian - I am a disciple of Jesus. The gospels give us several pictures of disciples. Matthew 8:21 “Another disciple said to Jesus, Lord, first let me go and bury my father, but Jesus said, Follow me and let the dead bury their dead.” In Luke 14 Jesus said, “If anyone does not come to me and does not hate his mother and father… even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.” So Jesus is giving a qualification of a disciple. John 20:8 “Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.” John calls this man a disciple before he says he believed. So – can we say that someone who follows Jesus does not necessarily always have saving faith? Judas Iscariot was a follower of Jesus and yet he did not have saving faith. He is in hell right now suffering the eternal full wrath of God. There were disciples of John the Baptist and disciples of Moses. John records in chapter 9:28 “you are this fellow’s disciple. We are disciples of Moses. We know God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow we do not even know where he comes from.”

In our lives we follow people. I remember in high school – I followed Mitch Duckworth every he went. We did almost everything together – we water skied together – we built a raft and floated down the Ohio River together and we built match bombs in snuff cans together. In college – I followed John Controveros – I followed John because he befriended me and helped me grow in my faith. I learn to spread to others what John believed and what I now believed. Think of the people you have followed in your life………… what does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?
What does it mean to spread the beliefs of the one you say you follow? Are you a real disciple of Jesus ? Please stand as we read our text this morning and in this text I want you to find with me 4 characteristics of a real disciple of Jesus Christ. READ 8:31- 47

A Genuine Disciple of Jesus Christ

1. Holds to his teaching (vs.31-32) “to the Jews who had believed in him, Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus has again been spending time speaking to Jewish religious people telling them the validity of his testimony and who he is and at the end of his teaching John says in verse 30 – “Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.” Most of us read that and think they were saved. They prayed a prayer or went forward but we are going see in the further words of Jesus they believed but it was not saving faith. You always have to read the bible in context --- what comes before and what comes after a verse. Bible Scholar Leon Morris wrote about verse (31-32) “these words of Jesus are addressed to those who believe, and yet do not believe. They believe enough to think that what Jesus just told them was true, but they were not prepared to yield him the allegiance that trust in him implies” Morris also says – “this is a dangerous spiritual state. You recognize that truth is found in Jesus and yet you do nothing about that truth - in effect you range or a line yourself up with the enemies of the Lord.” Unfortunately --- I believe many do that today and some of you are --- you hear and believe what is true about Jesus but you do nothing about that truth and you in effect are lining yourself up as an enemy of the Lord. ……Okay – Jesus said if you hold to my teaching you are my disciples……....What does it mean to hold to his teaching? The word Jesus spoke here

To Hold = to abide in or remain in. Jesus spoke the same word in John 15:4 “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” If you are a real disciple of Jesus – you hold to his teaching. Hebrews 2:1 says “we must pay more careful attention, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” A real disciple of Jesus holds to the teaching of Jesus. One of the indicators of real saving faith in a person is faithfulness to the truth of Jesus Christ.

We abide in Christ – we remain in Christ – we hold onto the teachings of Christ when we place ourselves in Him and continue there and draw life from his words. This is a process – for some of us – we are just beginning this process and for some of us it has been some time. Knowing Jesus is knowing the truth. Knowing the truth means that you accept it and obey it. When you obey the truth – Jesus says it will make you free – regardless of the pain you have experienced and the wrongs done to you.
EXAMPLE:
Bruce loved being a husband and a father. He married his childhood sweetheart Cindy – Cindy and Bruce had three children under the age of 10. They taught Sunday School together – lived in Florida and enjoyed the sunshine state – but one day the darkness came as Cindy and her 5 year old were broadsided by a teenager named Justin who ran a stop sign and killed them instantly. Justin got off with no charges filed against him. Bruce battle bitterness – he fought for justice. Eventually Justin was convicted of manslaughter – at sentencing Bruce asked the judge to be lenient on Justin. Bruce said – “the only way I could move forward in life was to forgive Justin – I talked with him face to face and at that time I realized he was in as much pain as I was --- I knew the truth --- I held onto it and I obeyed it and I was set free.” A real disciple of Jesus holds to his teaching like Bruce did.

2. Has a hunger for His word (vs.37) “I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.”

So – we can see here that these people really did not believe even though verse 30 says they put their faith in him --- Jesus tells them that he knows they are actual descendants of Abraham and if that is the case you ought to know what his faith was like. Look what Jesus finally says to them in verse 53 – “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” Abraham knew the promises of God. He knew the truth of God. Abraham had saving faith and that saving faith gave him a hunger for the truth of God. These people even had more than Abraham – they had the first 5 books of the bible called the Pentatuch – Abraham did not. Hunger for God’s Word is an indicator of true saving faith.

A disciple of Jesus has a hunger for the Word of God. Jesus says to these people = you have no place or room for his word. He spoke the word choreo = the NIV translates it as room--- it meant to advance, to make progress, or to go forward. Saving faith produces a hunger for the word of God which causes the person to advance – to make progress and go forward. Jesus is saying that they heard the word of God – but they did not heed it – it bore no fruit in them – it was like the seed that fell beside the road in the parable of the sower. It is like the person who comes to church again and again and again and there is no change in their life. They have a bible but they do not read it. They have a bible but they do not know what it says and there is not the slightest desire to find out and obey it. But if someone is a true disciple – eventually you ought to be able to see changes in their life – progress and advance because of a hunger for the Word of God.

A disciple of Jesus is word oriented. They understand the importance of being a doer of the Word of God. Peter says disciples are like new born babies who long for the pure milk of the word of God so they may grow in respect to their salvation. CHARITY TURN TO THE BOOK OF PSALM 1. The first 3 verses of the book of Psalm describes this hunger for the Word of God found in a disciple of Jesus. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord (WORD OF GOD) and on his law he meditates day and night. ---- he has room for the Word of God ---- He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields it fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does he prospers…………

Application: Do you hunger for God’s Word? Do you hunger to read God’s Word? Do you hunger to hear God’s Word preached? Its easy to loose your hunger and it is hard to feed your hunger. Habits help to feed your hunger. When do you make time for reading God’s Word? Many of us are so busy and so easily distracted by the urgency of other things --- Using the Daily Bread booklet devotional is a good way to start with God’s Word. Reading Morning and Evening with Spurgeon is great. Read something from the OT and something from the NT. Ask God to speak to you – ask God to give you the food that you need. Depend upon the Holy Spirit. Keep a record of what you read. Get a bible reading plan – you can read through the bible in one year by reading every day for 5 min. Listen to the preaching of God’s Word --- You can download almost any message you want from any preacher for free today…… If you have not just the slightest bit of hunger for God’s Word then you ought to examine if you truly have saving faith --- you have to start with saving faith – you have to come to Jesus and you have to truly believe. He will give you a hunger for His Word………………. A disciple of Jesus holds on to His teaching and a disciple of Jesus has a hunger for the Word of God.

3. Does what other disciples have done (vs. 39) “Abraham is our father, they answered. If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, then you would do the things Abraham did.”

Once again these people did not grasp what Jesus was teaching them. They insisted that they were Abraham’s spiritual children --- they thought they followed his faith in God --- but Jesus is telling them that if that were the case they would demonstrate the faith that he had. Their lives – their words and their actions conflicted with his. They did not demonstrate the righteousness that Abraham demonstrated.

Genesis 15:6 “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” In the New Testament we find Abraham spoken of again and again. Paul gives an entire chapter in the book of Romans to the faith of Abraham. Romans 4--- the first 4 verses… “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter. If, in fact Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about – but not before God. What does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.” ----- this is exactly what Jesus said to them --- if you are children of Abraham --- do what He did --- believe God. Hebrews gives us a perfect example of what Abraham did and how faith was demonstrated in his life.

Hebrews 11:8 “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” A real disciple exercises faith and faith many times does things that seem humanly foolish. Go to this country and you will have no idea where the place is or you have no money to get there. A real disciple trusts God when it seems ridiculous. A real disciple does things that other disciples have done. They believe God and take God for His word. They forgive people - who the rest of the world would stay away from and condemn. You find this principle of discipleship time and time again in the Word of God. A real disciple does what other disciples have done --- they follow other disciples. Paul put it this way:

2 Timothy 2:2:2 - 3 “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” A disciple of Jesus follows other disciples. A disciple of Jesus learns from others from the past. If that was not the case then Hebrews 11 would not be in the bible and God wasted his time putting it there.

I remember Paul, John, Bruce, and Greg in my life from my past who I learned from and followed. I did not worship them – but I saw Christ working in their lives and I learned from them. I even remember the guys I almost could not stand and yet they were men of God – Larry, Geoffry, Mark and Jim – God used those men in my life. A real disciple learns from what other disciples have done and sees how Christ has used them in their life.

Application: What disciple of Jesus are you learning from? Who can you think of right now that you see them living a Christ like life? You do not worship them but you learn from them? What believers from the past are learning from? Pastor John Piper put it this way about disciples from the past… “The longer I live, the more clearly I see my dependence on those who have gone before me.” A real disciple of Jesus learns from what other disciples have done.

4. Loves Jesus and hears or obeys His Word (vs. 42) “Jesus said to them, “if God were your father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.”

Jesus continues addressing these people after he tells them – if you were abraham’s children you would do what he did – he believed God ---- but in verse 40 Jesus says “you are determined to kill me – a man who has told you the truth from God --- and then verse 41 – “you are doing the things your own father does” --- Jesus is not at all talking about God the father --- look at verse 44 – you belong to your father – the devil – you want to carry out your father’s desire – he was a murderer from the beginning – not holding to the truth for there is no truth in him.” These are some of the same people that verse 30 says “many put their faith in him.”

So perhaps we must conclude that Jesus says that someone who does not have saving faith has faith but that faith is in the devil. Shocking --- you do not hear that much today. Amazing that Jesus would be so blunt with someone. But real truth is at times real blunt………….. and then Jesus says to them but, if God were your father - you would love me. Most people say they love Jesus --- but what does that really mean?

Jesus says – if God were your father – you would love me. John gives us later in the bible perhaps some of the best pictures of what real love for God is.

So how do we see that love?
* Real love walks. 2 John 1:6 - 7 “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” The Christian life is not a sprint to the finish line – it is a walk. It means that when you fall down – you confess - you get back up and keep on walking. Walking in obedience to the commands of God is an indicator of loving God. When you obey God you express love to God. I can think of time and time again when I heard God through his Word – do this Ben or do that Ben and I put it off ---- I tried to ignore it but it kept coming back --- the commands of God just kept leaping out of the bible at me and then I decided to walk . 2ndly

* Real love obeys. 1 John 5:2 “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” So the commands of God are not a burden ---- to do what God tells a disciple to do is not a burden. It does not mean that it will not be tough but it is not a burden.

* Real love forgives. 1 John 4:19 - 21 “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother”

I recently went and saw a man who is a Christian. This man hurt me, he gossiped about me, he deceived me. In a sense I felt cursed by him. It took some time but I forgave him. I kept hearing God tell me to bless him. How do I know that? Scripture told me.. Romans 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Is God telling you to forgive someone? --- you’re a disciple but you have ignored blessing someone who has persecuted you. I guarantee you when you bless them you will experience in your emotions more of the love of God. Comment…………..

* Real love is actions. 1 John 3:16 - 18 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. ‘

Close: To the believer – God has designed for you to be a disciple of Jesus – to follow him and to spread his beliefs. The main way you do that is by living a holy life. You might say that discipleship is the process of the pursuit of a holy life. Stop drinking milk and grow up to maturity.

To the non believer – today is the day that God is calling you – would you come? Would you follow?
Would you believe? You are hearing the truth but you are ignoring it – be careful that you do not experience a hardening of your heart.

Let us pray. Pray for believers and non believers.

Lord Jesus – I pray for your disciples in this room. I pray that they may grow up in their salvation. I pray that they may love you by obeying your word – I ask that they may hold to your teaching – I ask that you would give them a deeper passion and hunger for Your Word. For the non believer or the person here who does not have saving faith --- oh – God – open their heart and may today be the day that they obey and come to you and truly believe in you. IN JESUS NAME – AMEN