"How to Tell If You're a Disciple"

Hi there, this is long Solomon about like to welcome you to our program today. You know it's a tremendous honor the God's given us to be on stations all around the nation bringing the truths of God's word as it is uncompromising and straightforward and I'm so glad you tuned in to listen and be part of that. Thanks again for your support and your generosity that keeps us on the radio and now let's get to the word of God when it comes to knowing a person true identity. Nowhere are the stakes any higher than when it comes to who Jesus Christ is and this morning in our passage, Jesus has a question for his disciples, and a question for all of us. He says to them, who do you say I am, that's his question this morning we want to try to answer that and then ask ourselves the question so what right they know when it comes to who Jesus Christ is. The world has never suffered from any lack of suggestion. For example, according to the Jews.

Jesus Christ was a man, perhaps a great man perhaps a rabbi, maybe even a prophet. According to the Muslims.

Jesus Christ was one of God's many prophets of who Mohammed was chief. According to the Mormons. Jesus Christ was a man worked his way up to being a God just like you and I can work our way up to being a God, according to the Jehovah's Witnesses. Jesus Christ was an angel. The first created being in the universe. According to the average secularized American today. Jesus Christ was a great moral and ethical philosopher and according to Albert Schweitzer and many so-called Bible scholars like you Jesus Christ as the Bible describes in probably never even existed, but would you notice in direct contrast to every single one of these theories. We have the answer that Peter gave Peter when Jesus said to him, who do you say I am stepped forward and said you are the Messiah, the son of the living God.

With Peter really say well the Greek word Christoph which we translate Christ in the Hebrew word machine dock which we translate Messiah both mean the very same thing they mean anointed one and when you look in the Old Testament and in historic Judaism you find that there was an expectation in historic Judaism of a personal Messiah coming to the nation of Israel. The Old Testament says that this person would be born in Bethlehem that he would be a direct descendent of King David that he would come with the power to do great miracles that he would be rejected by the Jewish people that he would die to pay for the sins of mankind and since he would be God in the flesh.

Death would not be able to hold them but that on the third day he would rise from the dead and this is the person that Peter identifies Jesus Christ as the faith, it will not always heard that the disciples were the ones that made the self.

The Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah, but his disciples took that and they perpetrated that don't you believe who told you that but they're completely wrong. First of all, Jesus excepts right here, Peter's identification would you notice he says in verse 21 of Luke chapter 9 he says that Jesus strictly warned them not to tell anybody. So there is included there. The understanding that Peter was writing incorrect Peter. He said Peter you're right, but just at this point I don't want to broadcasting that right at this moment. If there's any doubt in your mind that Jesus really did claim is that we show you a couple of other passages.

Keep a finger here in Lugano coming back. Back to Matthew 26 verse 63 and here in Matthew 26. Jesus is in front of the high Council of Israel, the Sanhedrin, and a high priest himself is going to speak to Jesus. Verse 63 and the high priest said to him, I charge you under oath by the living God tell us if you are the Messiah, the son of God and Jesus replied yes it is as you say I like it clear that, but one more passage. Let's go back the other direction say Luke nine let's go to John chapter 4 this is the story of the woman at the well and in the story Jesus sits down and talk to this woman and here's what she says. John chapter 4 verse 25. Then the woman said I know that the Messiah is also called Christ is going to come and when he comes, he will explain everything to us.

Then Jesus declared, I who speak to you am he.

My dear friends for us today. €2000 later to sit around and think and we can decide better what Jesus Christ was really saying the people who were alive and listening to him and hurt him that's preposterous.

These people know exactly what Jesus was claiming and that's exactly what they recorded. He was claiming to be the Messiah. He was claiming to be God in the flesh.

He was claiming to be the one who would come to earth to give his life on the cross to pay for your sin and pay for my sin and then rise from the dead the third day in order to validate his claim to be everything that he said he was now you have the freedom and I have the freedom to reject him, but you and I do not have the right to redefine him. He defined himself and he defined himself as Messiah and Lord and God in the flesh, you can reject it, but you can't change it. That's how he defined himself.

Why was 21 years old and a college student at the University North Carolina I made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior to become a Christian. I want to tell you the reason I made that decision had nothing to do with some affection for the church. I've never been in a church in my life and I know affection for the church. It had nothing to do with the fact I believe in creationism. I didn't believe creationism or most of the other things the Bible said about creation. I made a decision to give my life to him for one reason and one reason only, and that reason was that I had become fully convinced by reading the New Testament that Jesus Christ was everything that he had claimed to be that he was who and what he claimed to be and fax the only reason for anybody to become a Christian, I relating my office this week a Jewish lady.

She's a divorce. She has a couple kids and she said you want to go to church us and we don't know each other. Do we.

She's another notch arising she's about to go to church is that's gracious and I've been on here going overture's.

Let's go to. She said, but the reason I been going as I feel like I need a moral framework for my children and I feel like I need a safe place for my family and frankly I go to church and the people treat each other. Real nice and I like being around people treat each other. Real nice like going to church and think about maybe our become a Christian and join the church and she said to one of my friends told me that you were Jewish, and you overhear to come talk to you so I'm here to talk to you about maybe become a Christian large one in the church. Whatever trusted man I'm really glad you came to talk to me and I'm really glad you going to church and there's nothing wrong with that but you know what none of those things you just mentioned of the realist. The real issue is whether or not Jesus Christ is the Jewish Messiah. Whether he's your Messiah and if he is then you need to surrender your life to him and become one of his children by faith. And if he's not been my advice to you is blow him off and blow the church off the church is absolutely no good if Jesus Christ did we. Says he so she said to me, will you know she's I can sort of believe there's a God, but his Jewish people.

We were taught that Jesus Christ was not the Messiah. We were taught that he was just a great prophet and not having a real hard time with this thing about Jesus and I called her by name and I semantically say one thing to you whatever Jesus Christ is. He's not a great prophet looked at me. I said, because great prophets don't lie Jesus Christ claim to be God in the flesh, the Messiah of Israel. Now he's telling the truth. He's a whole lot more than just a great prophet like that.

You see, and if he's lying. He's a lunatic and a fraud. But either way, a great prophet will not sell. He's one of the other, but is not just a great prophet what you have to do is get a copy of the New Testament start reading it and decide for yourself is Jesus. We really claim to be or is and everything else flows out of that decision that you have to make. Who do you say Jesus Christ is and if you like this lady. Maybe you're here this morning and you like this lady you sent something is missing in your life you're interested in checking out this thing called Christianity where glad to hear I'm glad to check it out. But don't you dare get confused about what the foundational issue is, is not this church or lawns preaching how nice we treat each other or anything else.

The foundational issue is who is Jesus Christ is he who we claim to be. Is he the Messiah of Israel is a God in the flesh. Did he die on the cross is God in the flesh for the sins of mankind. That's the foundational issue and you're ready to become a Christian. My friend, when you can look somebody, anybody, right smack in the eyes and say with conviction to them. The way Peter said the way I said 20 years ago that you really believe that Jesus Christ is the divine Messiah of Israel like he claimed and the newsrooms. That's when you're ready to become a Christian.

So let me ask you who do use it, Jesus. If you have an answer that question is that when I weigh Milan I agree with you. I believe Jesus is the Messiah I believe is God in the flesh. So where's the soul here for me. Listen, if Jesus Christ is we really says he is. And if you say that you believe this, then there's a second decision that you have to make. You made the right first decision because the second one and the second decision is a decision all about discipleship. It's a decision all about Lordship and Jesus is going to go on right here in Luke chapter 9 to talk about that. Let's go back right in Luke chapter 9 he says now Peter you made the right answer to the first question, but there's a second question that comes out of the right answer the first question and the second question is all about discipleship because you see Messiah ship demands Lordship. Let's look and see verse 21 Jesus warned them not to tell anybody. And then he said verse 22.

The Son of Man must suffer many things and he must be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed, and he must on the third day be raised to life. Now if you're following through the gospel, you'll realize that this is the very first time.

Jesus is ever given them this information and they're shocked there completely knocked on Lou. In fact, Matthew 16 says that Peter actually called the Lord aside and review Peter Miss the keyword in the verse did you catch the keyword the Son of Man. Verse 22 must suffer many things and he must be killed and on the third day he must be raised like to get the keyword that time he lost the Jesus must do this matter with Peter thought so a lot of Peter did like it. Jesus said, I still must do it because it's the will of God for my life. That's why I must do it. That's why, in the garden of Gethsemane. He prayed Lord, not my will but yours be done. Remember the whole point here is that because it was the will of God.

Jesus must do it. Jesus said in John chapter 6, I did not come down from heaven to do my own will, but to do the will of him who sent me. He's saying that even as the second person in the Trinity, the second person in the Godhead living as a man on this earth. He was living in complete surrender to the Lordship of God the father, and if it was the will of God the father for him to do something then he had to do it and what Jesus is trying to say to Peter right here is Peter you got the first question right. I am the Messiah. Now there's a second question and that question is how much are you willing to let me become Lord of your life in light of your confession that I'm the Messiah.

Look what Jesus says, verse 23 then he said to them, if anybody wants to come after me, that person must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for me will say that what good is it if a man gains the whole world and loses his own soul. And what Jesus is trying to do here is to define discipleship is trying to help Peter understand all right if I'm really the Messiah and one of the terms of for following me Peter you say you want to follow me here. The terms deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me the same way.

I just explained to you that I've taken up my cross and I'm following God the father you understand the connection there was a need to take up our cross. Does that mean every Christian is to go be crucified on across the way Jesus was no no not at all. The cross here stands for Jesus just explained to them up above the way he had subjected himself to the will of God regardless of the cost.

He was committed to going to the cross because he was committed to following the will of God wherever talking, and so in that sense with the cross stands for is our willingness to follow the will of God regardless of the cost wherever it takes us because we are committed to the Lordship of Christ. Just the way Jesus Christ was the understand that and Jesus said to do that, you've got to deny yourself the issue and denying yourself here is the issue of who is on the throne of your life. Is it you or the Messiah is a joint will or the will of God. You see for the true disciple my friend Will has abdicated the throne, and Jesus Christ has begun to sit on the throne. Instead, along with the will of God and to deny self means that we say it doesn't matter what I want to do. I am willing to take all of those things and I'm willing to deny them and follow whatever it is that God's chosen for me because I'm under the Lordship of Christ to things I want to notice your number one were talking discipleship, not salvation. Don't get that mixed up. If you do you really get your theology wrapped around the axle. Okay, nobody goes to heaven or gets eternal life because they take up their cross daily and follow Jesus to get to heaven and get eternal life because you trust what Christ did on the cross and paying for your sin. Were talking about people who've already join the family of God to whom Jesus is saying now. Are you ready to join the Army of Christ. There's a different it's a volunteer army. There's no draft, look what Jesus said verse 23. If anyone wants to come after you don't want to go haft. Second thing I want to point out to you is that when we do volunteer to be recruits in the Army of Jesus Christ to put self off the throne. That's when we begin to discover what real meaning in life is all about. Look what Jesus said verse 24 whoever wants to save his life will lose it forever loses his life for me will say that night is an interesting paradox of what Jesus is saying is, the more you lift yourself, the less self than 1/5 but the more you're willing to live for Jesus Christ and for others or self benefit if all the paradoxes that make sense but it works. As miserable people I have ever met. The people who are living the most empty bearing wasted lives of the people who are living in for themselves. That's all are living for.

Why did Jesus say this because he wants to reassure everybody that if you sign up for his army will never regret it.

I wouldn't go back to living the other way anything. Well, what this leaves us with this morning is to be questions. Question number one is the question Jesus asked Peter, who do you say I am in everyone of us here is that an answer if you answer the way Peter did is that you are the Messiah, you are the son of the living God then Jesus has a second question force and that question is where you stand on my invitation to become it's like where you stand on my invitation to deny self will and enthroned me as the Lord of your life. Is there a lot I cannot tell where I stand.

I mean how do I measure my Lordship quotient. Whatever. Well I can answer that through simple.

You can tell how fully you've committed yourself to the Lordship of Christ.

How real it is in your life this way by how you respond to the will of God when it cuts across your comfort zone.

See anybody to be under the Lordship of Christ with the Lordship of Christ takes you where you want to go anyway but hey, when the Lordship of Christ in the will of God takes you somewhere you don't want to go. You don't want to be. You don't want to experience. That's when you find out who is really on the throne in your life is on San Francisco. Last weekend was with Morris Rosen now Morris Rosen is a personal friend of mine, but I say this has nothing to do with my friendship with you and I believe that Morris Rosen as a single individual has done more to change the face of Jewish evangelism than any man who is live in this century and I'll say that without apology Jewish evangelism today would not be where it is and it's in some great places it wasn't for the life of one man. They Morris Rose voice came to Christ in the mid-50s as a very young man in Denver and he was selling cemetery plots to be had for people working for them when you showed up and you were in deep grief they wouldn't take you to the $200 plot that was out there. They were always thinking of the thousand dollar plot and they would take advantage of people. So we fire those poor people, and he hired for seminary students part-time core going to Denver seminary back then. Boy said if you made $0.80 an hour working part time. That was a lot of money in the late 50s and these guys were pulling down hundreds of dollars a week week now making commission on selling cemetery plot. One day he said he handed a check to one of these students in over 100 or whatever was dollars and the student turned to him and he said moist. He said you know you need to get on with serving God you cancel cemetery plots.

Rest your life you need to find out what the will of God is for your life, Morris Rosen and you need to go do it and forget about selling cemetery plot.

While it's interesting that Rosen actually had an offer at that time to go on the staff with American-born admissions to the Jews and become a missionary to Jewish people. We hadn't taken the Eddie had made up his mind and he said that his seminary student he said will you know I got this offer.

He said I want you to know if I take this offer, you lose your job and he said that seminary student looked him in the eyes and said moist.

It doesn't matter about my job. The only thing that matters is that you do the will of God for your life course, God will take care of me. You go to the will of God for your life. So Morris Rosen quit selling cemetery plot and went on to change the face of evangelism across the world for Jewish people. When I heard that story. I said I'm taken that story back to McLean because that story is where Jesus Christ wants us in our hearts frenemy ask a question if you're Christian.

Where are you convinced of the will of God has you that cuts across your comfort zone. Maybe God has you in a job that you hate or has working for a boss that you can stand always got you single and you want to be married so bad you can taste it.

But God had let that happen.

Yet, or maybe there's health problems in your family. You're so angry and seriously upset about that and you hated being the way it is. But it way it is. Or maybe you got conflict and stress in your family relationships or maybe God is directing you to move geographically near move geographically or maybe you've Artie moved here. Anyway, here are glad to hear but we have spare where is it that God and his will has come across your comfort so my question to you is are you willing to be a disciple in that area. This is a great chance to display your discipleship a great chance to live out your commitment to Lordship and why should you deal with this area where you don't like the way things are going. Why should you keep on going. Why should you embrace it and why should you. Thank God for it and why should you keep obeying God unit is only one reason I can give you, and that is you've made up your mind to be a disciple in your Lord has asked you to do this. Some of you were here a few years ago we had a big church split with a big vote of confidence on these things. The pastor and we lost hundreds of people and it was a big mess and had been for several years leading up to that the key issue was me and I knew that nobody else knew that some people wanted to stay. Some people want me to go and there was all kinds of church politics that was backbiting there was gossip. I mean it was a miserable situation and it was very difficult for me emotionally. I tried to leave here I have feelers out for jobs and I couldn't get anybody to offer me a job doing anything. I mean, I wanted done almost anything. They were all things are vital because the job offers in the years before job offer since, but in that little window.

I couldn't get anybody to offer me a job out there and finally I had to conclude God didn't want me going anywhere we have the gal in town this weekend interviewing for our staff and we went out and we were talking and I totaled about this and she looked right at me and she salon in light of all that was going on. Then, in all the difficulty that was there, why did you stay here, and I looked right in the eyes and I said the reason I stated McLean Bible church is because I became convinced it was the will of God, not Gladys. I'm glad God led me here and I'll tell you what I wanted to get out of his so bad I didn't know what to do because I was dying.

It was horrible. Let me tell you something God never takes you anyplace to matter how hard it is to get there, but that you're not glad he got you where you got is a reward on the other side to every act of discipleship and every act of Lordship ends and if you let Jesus Christ work his will in your life. Jesus Christ will reward you and you will be clenched so this is the issue. Are you disciple onto salon. I gotta be honest with you, and I got little me on the throne will him on the throne, but are you serious about get more you off the throne for him on.

That's what this is all about God help you do that, but heavenly father, I want to thank you for the word of God this morning and for those of us here who are still checking out this thing called Christianity. I pray that you would bring them to the point this morning that they would be willing to answer the question, who do you say that I with the right answer that you are the Messiah son of God more bring people to that point, I pray, and once for their earnings to the second point you want all of us to And that is to a commitment to discipleship on your terms not on archer commitment to the will of God being on the throne not self-will. Father, thank you for your promise that even though we may go kicking and screaming and fight and clawing and scratching and yelling along with you that whatever will go with you were always glad we went. Lord Jesus, I pray for Christians here were struggling with the will of God for their lives. Right now I don't like where they are.

They don't like with the will of God is meant for them. They want out, but they still sense the will of God help in this morning father to purify their commitment to the Lordship of Christ and agreed to follow you wherever you're taking them even as Jesus followed you to the cross because were disciples, and this is what our Lord is ask us to do change our lives by what we refer to this morning. I pray in Jesus name, Amen. You've been listening today went with Dr. Lon Solomon plan is an outrage and online, found in ministering to listen to today's message, or for more information visit our website. Lon Solomon ministries.org. Thank you for your support. If you would like to contact – please visit our website or call us at 868788777 we had.

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