Week 4_SS3_CRS_FIRST TERM

WEEK FOUR
DEMANDS OF DISCIPLESHIP
Becoming a disciple has its own challenges and demands a lot of sacrifices. There are many drawbacks or factors that may discourage one from taking up the challenge of being a disciple.

a. Factors that militate against discipleship
(Matthew 8:18-22, Luke 9:57-63; Luke 14:25-33)
The Bible records in Matthew 8:18-22, the struggle between the will to do and the readiness to take up the will. In the midst of the exploits of Jesus, a lot of crowd followed Him. So, He gave the orders to be left alone because He decided to go to the other side. Then a scribe came up to Him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus looked at him and said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” This underscores the fact that discipleship is not an easy task neither is it rosy. It comes with lots of discomfort. (See also Luke 9:57 – 58)
Another of the disciples said to Jesus, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Again Jesus looked at him and said, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” This also underscores the fact that discipleship comes with great sacrifice to let go of things that matters to a person. (See also Luke 9:59-60)
In Luke 9:61 – 62, another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

From the foregoing you will discover that the demands of discipleship include the following:
1. The will to forgo comfort
2. The will to sacrifice personal relationships and necessaries
3. The will to turn your back on customs and cultural affiliation
4. The will to uphold unwavering loyalty and decision not to look back.

Jesus in Luke 14:25-33, Jesus highlights the cost of discipleship. He spoke to the multitudes saying, “If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. By saying this, Jesus meant the roles and demand of discipleship will take the leading place in your life and not the desire to keep and preserve family relationships. A disciple will discard anything that threatens the goals of his discipleship.

In Luke 14: 27-32, He said anyone who must take up discipleship must not expect himself to be the responsibility of others. He must be willing to take care of himself and not be a burden to the course of his discipleship. Highlighting this Jesus, continued by saying, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace.
In verse 33, Jesus cleared the air by saying, “whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” Here, He meant that a disciple must deny himself. He has no life of his own but he shall be sold out to the course he believes in.

b. Attitude of Christians today to God’s call
Today, Christians find it difficult to obey the call of God. The reason being that, Christians today, have not come to terms with the fact that one needs to bury the desire of the flesh and hold on to the need to fulfill the will of God. Many Christians today are still being driven by the need to acquire wealth and material possession. Others cannot bear the fact that they would be isolated from families and friends. Some others still have some personal habits which they are not ready to let go of in response to the call of God.
Christians’ attitude today towards the call of God is that of an unwilling disciple.

c. Reward of obeying God’s call today.
When a person obeys God’s call, his life becomes better than his counterparts or mates in the secular world. God blesses the person spiritually and in all material needs.
Examples of men of God today that left secular work to obey God’s call
Examples of people who left secular work to obey the call of God today include;
1. Pastor E. A. Adeboye of The Redeemed Christian Church of God
2. Pastor David Oyedepo of The Living Faith World Outreach (Winners Chapel)
3. Pastor D. K. Olukoya of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries
4. Pastor Sam Adeyemi
5. Pastor Poju Oyemade of the Covenant Christian Centre
6. Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo of Kingsway International Christian Centre