The difference between a Christian and a Disciple…

I do believe (IMHO) that there is a difference between being a Christian and a Disciple. (Now I’m not dogmatic on this; this is just my conviction).

All Christians are followers of Jesus; Not all Christians are disciples. Now let me say at the beginning that they should be synonymous, but all too often they aren’t. The Bible speaks of “carnal Christians” (I Corinthians 3). Were Ananias and Sapphira Christians (Acts 5)? Many commentators believe that they were; certainly they were carnal and their discipleship commitment was questionable.

Let’s look at what Jesus considered discipleship:

John 12:24: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” Here Jesus says that it is only in dying to our desires and submitting ourselves to the Father’s plan, purpose, and will for our lives that we can produce much fruit.

Luke 9:23: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” According to Jesus, this is not a one time experience; it is a daily surrender to Him and His will.

Jesus defined for us what a disciple is in Luke 14:26-33: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it — lest, after he has laid the 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 make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

Here are some observations about what Jesus is saying:

1. Following Jesus means placing Him above all others, including family (verse 26).

2. Following Jesus means taking up His cross; it means giving your life for the benefit of others (verse 27).

3. Following Jesus involves counting the cost (verse 28-32).

4. Following Jesus involves forsaking all (verse 33).

Now, really, not all followers of Jesus are willing to obey Him and do what He says. These words here in Luke 14 are difficult; certainly impossible without the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to fulfill. G. K. Chesterton said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”

My desperate desire is to be a fully committed disciple of Jesus; to do so will mean my death…the death of my self. Yet it is the only way, for it is in dying that we produce much fruit, as Jesus said.

So here are ten ways to tell if you are a disciple:

10. You are a member in good attendance in a local Church.

9. You pray for your Church, the leadership, and your pastor everyday.

8. Instead of caring for your friends new baby so she can clean her house, you clean her house while she cares for her baby.

7. You mow your neighbors lawn when he breaks his leg (even though you don’t like to do yard work).

6. You volunteer to do the dishes even though it is not your wife’s birthday. (Great caution should be exercised here guys – you don’t want to frighten her).

5. Instead of waiting for others to serve you, you willingly, with a grateful heart, volunteer to serve others.

4. You visit shut-in’s, the elderly, the sick, the lonely and those you haven’t seen in Church in a while.

3. You give to meet the needs of others even though you know you are going to have to go without to do it.

2. You love those no one else is willing to love.

And the number one way you can tell if you are a disciple…

1. You love others as you love yourself, just as Jesus did in giving Himself for others, even dying in their place so that they could live.

Can you come up with any more reasons to tell if you are a disciple?