02-27-11 PM - The Principles of Discipleship

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Matthew 16:24-26
No men do more harm to themselves, than they that love themselves more than God.

Matthew 16:24-26
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (25)"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (26)"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself (aparnesastho), and take up his cross, and follow Me (akoloutheitho).

1. The disciple is called to: LAY SOMETHING DOWN– (Deny Himself)
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…”


“deny himself” “to completely disown, to utterly separate oneself from someone.”

•We are to count the old man as being dead.
Rom. 6:11
Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

•We are to make no provision for the flesh.
Rom. 13:14
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

•We are to follow the example set forth by Jesus Himself in coming to this world.
Phil. 2:5-8
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

•We are to live as  alive to God, but dead to sin. 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 delivered Himself up for me.

Craig Giannini. In “Gaining by Losing.”said

“The Disciple is Called to Lay Something Down”.


2. The disciple is called to LIFT SOMETHING UP (Take Up His Cross) - "If anyone desires to come after Me … let him … take up his cross…”

 John 12:26,"If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” (NKJV)

3.The Disciple Is Called To LIVE SOMETHING OUT – (Follow Me) - "If anyone desires to come after Me …., let him … follow Me.”
Here Jesus says, literally “let him follow me day by day.”

“The LORD is my
shepherd; I shall not want. (2) He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. (3) He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. (4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (5) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. (6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.”

“If anyone wished to be
counted as an adherent of mine, he must once and for all say farewell to self, decisively accept pain and shame and persecution for my sake and in my cause, and must then follow and keep on following me as my disciple.” William Henriksen.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

25"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”