Being a disciple is about more than knowing how to witness to people.
First, it means loving Jesus at the highest level (Luke 14:26).
The second requirement of being a disciple of Jesus means being willing to bear the cross of the world’s rejection (Luke 14:27). The world will mock us if we follow Jesus with our full devotion. Jesus was implying to His disciples that if that happened to them, then that was their cross to bear for Him.
The third requirement for being Jesus’ disciple is that He has to be Lord of our possessions (Luke 14:33). This is just simple compliance with the first commandment … not to put anything ahead of our devotion to Almighty God.
The fourth point that Jesus made is found in John 8:31, “If you continue in My word, you truly are My disciples.” The word “continue” comes from a Greek word which means to dwell or live. Jesus wants us to make ourselves “at home” in God’s word.
I have been told that people who are blind have little problem navigating through their home because they are so familiar with the placement of the contents of their home … they do not have to see to be able to move about the home. By saying “If you continue in My word,” Jesus was saying that God’s word is where He wants us to dwell in order for us to develop a certain familiarity with the contents. His teaching was that when we achieve that level of familiarity, we really are His disciples…
(The Rev. Terry Morrison is the pastor of Lower King and Queen Baptist Church of Dragonville, which was destroyed in a fire last year. Anyone interested in helping the church rebuild can send their donations to Lower King and Queen Baptist Church, T.O. Longest, P.O. Box 126, King and Queen Courthouse, VA 23085 and write on the check “building fund.” His email address is morrisonkim64@gmail.com.)
