2015.11.22_To Become a Disciple of Jesus

Senior Overseer Ki-Dong Kim

Outline

[Matthew 16:24-28]

God

is living.
He sent
Jesus Christ to the world, that the world
may hear, see and learn of God through Him.
Therefore,
if anyone
is not with Jesus Christ
he can neither know God or even stand before Him (Jn 14:6).
Since Jesus said,
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself,
and take up his cross and follow Me” (Mt 16:24),
whoever has taken up his cross is the one who has laid down his life.
One does not become a disciple of Jesus
as the result of many years of church life;
rather, he who knows only Jesus and has overcome himself will become His disciple (Eph 1:22-23).
The disciple of Jesus is made one body with Him,
and thus he must go wherever He leads.
He must follow Him from Nazareth to Golgotha.
One who does not surrender himself
does not have Jesus and cannot become His disciple.
○Let us become disciples of Jesus.
Follow Jesus and please Him,
and share in His fate.
○Let us become disciples of Jesus.
Deny yourself
and be a disciple that pleases the Lord only.
○Let us become disciples of Jesus.
If you have decided to follow Him,
be prepared to die with the Lord.

※As the Lord has resurrected,
so will His disciples be resurrected.
This is our faith and hope.

Summary

We must become disciples of Jesus
God is living. God demonstrated His existence through His Son, and even now He wants to make His existence known to all people. To believe in Jesus Christ does not mean to have a religion, for what we have received through Him is life and everlasting life from God. God sent His only begotten Son and revealed Himself to us in order to save us and give us eternal life. Jesus made Himself known to us and said, “Eat My flesh and drink My blood, for then you will have life. You will have eternal life.”

When Jesus came to the earth, what He began doing was to make disciples of His believers. Even now, He wants to make us His disciples. No one has ever seen God; no one has ever gone into Heaven. The only one who knows God and the Kingdom of Heaven is Jesus. And Jesus desires to impart everything He knows to us. We ought to accept everything He imparts and do so as if we are eating His flesh and drinking His blood.

Some people zealously lead their faith lives for a while but because of something, they fall into temptation and eventually fall away completely. However they would not have fallen away like so if they had known God deeper. This is the reason why Jesus wants to make us His disciples. How wonderful is it that the Son of God Himself is our teacher who teaches us to know God, about His kingdom, the ministry of Christ, the Holy Spirit, and life? We have to be fully aware that we are not religious people but the disciples of Jesus.

Deny yourself and learn Jesus.
Whoever wants to become a disciple of Jesus must deny himself. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mt 16:24). The biggest obstacle we face in knowing God and Jesus Christ whom He sent, is none other than our own selves. Anyone that wants to follow Jesus must take up his cross. In other words, he must be ready to die according to God’s commandment.

It is essential that the disciple of Jesus is with Jesus. When Jesus first called the Twelve He wanted, what He essentially wanted of them was that they be with Him (Mk 3:14). Just because a person diligently attends church on the Lord’s Day does not necessarily mean his faith life is sound. He cannot be deemed a disciple of Jesus simply because he attends church. This is similar to how every child at school performs differently academically. A disciple of Jesus must learn Jesus. Rather than being satisfied with listening to a sermon at church, he should earnestly desire God’s word.

Make disciples of others.
Once you come to know Jesus, you cannot but teach others. When a person drinks Jesus’ blood and eats His flesh, he cannot contain the shock he experienced and shares it to others. As the number of such people increases in the church, a revival is bound to follow. In other words, there has to be many disciples in the church in order for the church to grow. One can really be called a disciple of Jesus when he is able to influence others with the word he received, as Jesus said, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (Jn 15:8).

Everyone that meets us should become sincere followers of Jesus. A person of faith should not be led into temptation on account of us. Once I heard a joke people made about theological seminaries. They said, first year students are like pastors and second year students are like elders. Then in third year, students are like deacons, in fourth year, they are like laymen, and finally, graduates are much the same as non Christians. However to take this simply as a joke, the reality is too serious. As much as seminaries should not turn out this way, we too should not become such people either. We must ensure whoever meets us, becomes a disciple of Jesus through us.

Some people misinterpret the command to make disciples. They approach people who are already doing fine at church and teach them to eventually follow them. Strangely enough, those that learn from such people do not heed the pastor’s teachings altogether, and follow those people to even leave the church completely. We need to make disciples but not cause divisions in the church as these people do. We ought to make true disciples of Jesus who abide in His words.

Not only should we, but our families should also become disciples of Jesus. Our families should be acknowledged by God as those who know Him. It should happen that anyone who visits our families becomes disciples of Jesus. However some people instead hinder their family members from becoming disciples of Jesus. If their children are actively involved at church, they scold them saying, “Why are you involved so much with church activities? You should study”. Or if one’s wife is eager in her church life, the husband warns her saying, “It’s not a good idea to go in too deep into church life”. What can God ever expect from such families?

Share your fate with Jesus.
In order to become Jesus’ disciples, we must share our fate with Him. In other words, unless we are ready to die and follow Jesus, we cannot become His disciples. Soon we are going to face terrible times in the future. Even at this present, Christians are being killed in many parts of the world, and such news is ever increasing. It is only a matter of time before this happens in Korea. It may no longer be news of distant countries that hundreds of saints at a church are killed by a suicide bombing.

We may be subject to persecution as we cast out demons in Jesus’ name. For example, some people denounce it as the work of shamans. Nevertheless, we must cast out demons as Jesus commanded and promised us. For He said, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons” (Mk 16:17), we must obey His words no matter what people say.

When we make the decision to become Jesus’ disciples, the Holy Spirit will work upon usTo His disciples who had been baptized Jesus said, “Do not leave Jerusalem until you receive the Holy Spirit. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and then you will be My witnesses” (Ac 1:4-8). Therefore we must let the Holy Spirit work from within us. In the same way that we came to meet Jesus and imitate Him, those who meet us should also become like Jesus through us.

Semuon’s Letter

I am not against religion. But the fact remains, religion cannot save one’s soul and thus, I cannot accept the idea of Christians becoming religious people. For there to be salvation, there must be a Savior. And in Him, there must be a clear sign to testify of our salvation and the atonement received. Amidst this, he who has been saved must be born again, and the signs of his transformation must be revealed as his fruit. Salvation comes from God alone, the Creator of all things. Thus, Jesus Christ, whom God has sent, is Savior of the world.

We proclaim not of morals and ethics but of Jesus Christ, His Name and His works. However, that is not to say that bearing witness of these things is at the neglect of the former qualities, for these are fundamental behaviors necessary across all groups, be it Christian or a religious body. Nevertheless, our purpose is to save souls, for their salvation gives rise to the election of God’s faithful servants and witnesses. Thus, our goal is to make disciples of saints that have been saved, and with this at heart, we strive to sow the gospel and actively tend them, that we may ultimately prepare fruit pleasing to the Lord.

However, it seems that though believers grow in number, the disciples of the Lord remain few. My heart is disturbed within me, to know that there are many pastors who do not have the desire to grow further and reach their spiritual peak. My earnest plea is to see believers become pastors and servants of God, and then ultimately true disciples that are willing to be crucified with Christ. But I am truly distraught to know that instead, many simply seek the title of a pastor with the hopes of adorning themselves.

Those prepared to die for the Lord must fight a fierce battle. They must look beyond their parents, their families, their work and the glory of this world. Such must be left in the hands of God, for Jesus will provide the daily bread. To otherwise place their motives in receiving these things will most certainly be a means of disappointing the Lord.

As a good tree bears good fruit, a true disciple of Jesus should give rise to another true disciple of Jesus. Into a family filled with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and of God given faith and blessings, is born such true disciples of the Lord. Thus, in order that we may fulfill the teaching that good fruit comes only from a good tree, we must actively fight to overcome.

Now that I have passed the age of 77, I feel sapped of strength and energy. I try with all my might, but there is surely only so much I can. Thus, I am entirely grateful that I have lived not in the boasting of my flesh, nor in the shame of the gospel. I know, the path my children ought to go is a perilous one – but they must go.

Pastor Ki-Dong Kim
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