How To Be A Fully Committed Disciple Of Jesus Christ

What can we expect when we agree to follow Jesus and listen to Adrian Rogers many times today in our churches. We have watered down the gospel in an attempt to gain more fall. Jesus never did that. Nor will I nor should we follow Jesus is not inviting you to share in his popularity. But is unpopular. Are you willing to do that. Does that make sense to you, will I trust that it will let me tell you for things that a true disciple of Jesus Christ is that I hope you say I want to pay the price because it's worth welcome to love worth finding pastors and Bible teacher and author Adrian Rogers salvation is free.

But discipleship costs does, we need to ask ourselves prepared to pay the price. Many will try to water down the gospel in an attempt to gain more followers. Jesus is not looking for easy followers. He wants fully committed disciples that you today. If you have your Bible turn to Luke chapter 14 will begin in verse 25. As Adrian Rogers reveals how to be a fully committed disciple of Jesus Christ.

Chapter 14 verse 25 and there went great multitudes with him and he turned and set under them.

If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother and wife and children, and brethren, and sisters Jay and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple mouth like about this. The crowds were following Jesus. Jesus had great multitudes, he was at the Zeneca of his ministry as popularity and all people are clamoring after him. Now what does he do he thins out the crowd.

He doesn't do some sensational miracle to get more followers, it doesn't water down his teaching with user-friendly evangelism. What he does is turns to them and in the sternest terms possible. He talks to them about something that seems almost shocking. If any man come after me, and hate not his father and his mother, his wife and his children, his brethren, he can't be my disciple. One thing ask about the Lord Jesus Christ and the fine print in the contract. A man he's not mislabel you if there's no bait and switch is not looking for easy follows. I know that many times today in our churches.

We have watered down the gospel in an attempt to gain more followers.

Jesus never did that.

Nor will I nor should when you follow Jesus is not inviting you to share in his popularity. What is unpopular. Are you willing to do that. Does that make sense to you, will I trust that it will let me tell you for things that a true disciple of Jesus Christ is that I hope you say I want to pay the price because it's worth before you make up your mind map to this the bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of cheek price has been forgotten as true about anything you buy something because it's on sale and it's not any good.

You don't want it you don't remember that you got it for cheap. You just remember you don't like you like it. The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of cheek price has been forgotten is that not true, but if you pay a price for something you work for to earn it. You pay a price for it and it is something that you value and you treasure you soon forget the price because you say it was worth.

There's no cheap discipleship, it cost to serve Jesus.

It cost every day, but friend it is worth for things that discipleship means I want you to see them here in this passage of Scripture.

Jesus wants disciples that will worship at any cost. Go back if you will do.

Verse 26 Jesus said if any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother and wife and children, and brethren, and sisters Jay in his own life also, he cannot be my disciple and who Sarah does not bear is and come after me cannot be my disciple again is no fine print here in the contract Jesus Christ must come before personal relationship.

You called upon to hate, father, mother, why children, and brethren.

Is it a minute faster. I thought Jesus taught us to love what it does teach us to love, to modify, Jesus is not breaking the commandment that tells us to honor father and mother. Jesus is not telling us to hate our children. If you love Jesus, you will love your father and mother more if you love Jesus you love your wife more if you love Jesus, you can love you children more the word hate here is used in the Bible since in comparison. Jesus said, no man can serve two masters. He will love one and hate the other. What he is saying is that Jesus Christ must come before any other personal relationship. Joyce knows that she's number two in my life, not number one. She doesn't mind being number two because she knows that I love her more, making her number two than I ever could, making her number one. My children know that I love them with all of my heart. But they know that not number one. You see what our Lord is saying is that if you a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ to be going to be his disciple. He must be number one in your life is Jesus Christ number one in your life does not put a child moment shiny airplane to fly overseas with our grandchild and his lovely wife to go to be missionaries in Spain. I know that David loves us. I know that Kelly loves her parents.

I know that and my own personal flesh would be to have my children, my grandchildren here with me but I know that my children love Jesus Christ more than they love me. That doesn't bother me that thrills me to know you love Jesus Christ more than personal relationships.

You must if you will be his disciple and personal relationships, but personal reputation and his own life also, do not even to love you more than you love the Lord Jesus Christ to be a disciple of Jesus Christ you have to take yourself off the throne and his throne. Jesus Christ and many modern churches today.

The theme is what fulfill yourself self-realization self fulfillment them and our churches have become sort of a cafeteria line where we just go by and pick up things that are going to make us feel better about ourselves. I hope that you have a good self-image, healthy self image. But if it comes between Adrienne and Jesus. I must say no to Adrian. And yes to Jesus Christ. Are you willing to do that. Are you willing to say Lord Jesus, I put you first.

In spite of my own reputation my own fulfillment what people think of me you say across Jesus is going talk a little bit about picking up a call. Now many people have across the gold ornaments around the neck and there's nothing wrong with that, that I can see but friend across is not a thing of beauty across is a thing ultimately of shame and reproach. That's what it meant in Jesus day when he said, pick up your cross well the cross. We've made it sort of a piece of jewelry. But when a person comes to Jesus Christ.

He is a worshiper who will worship at any cost.

Personal relationships personal reputation to take up the cross as a mark of shame personal realization symbolizes well my sickness is my cross, not unless you got it by serving Jesus as a my mother-in-law's microbes. She may be cross machine not sure cross across is something that you willingly take up you don't have to bear. Jesus said, no man taken my life for me. I lay it down of myself to follow Jesus is a worshiper who worships at any cost above the cost of personal relationship, but the cost of personal reputation about the cost of personal realization is what means to be a disciple still would be disciple take up your cross is what the Lord Jesus Christ it when you gave your heart to Jesus Christ and said I will take up my cross.

That's the last legitimate independent decision you ever make them known. Your life belongs to Jesus Christ, you are not your own. You bought with a price.

Now what a disciple is number one is a worshiper who worships at any calls got it okay that was with number two disciples not only must worship at any cost, but they must work at any cost. Take your Bibles now and begin reading verse 28 Jesus goes on to explain what you intending to build a tower sit not down first encounter with the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it is happily after you have laid the foundation is not able to finish in all that we hold it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build and was not able to. I wanted to mention a tower back in these days they had vendors in the middle of the vineyard they would put a towel and the tower was there to protect the vineyard and therefore it was therefore fruitfulness. And God says our lives are to be like a tower. He speaks first of all, of the crucifixion, and I speaks of the construction because it's not all negative. It's also positive Lord is called us to bear our Lord has a plan for my life for your life and my life is to be constructed by his plan. The tower is to be spiritually can see again. I don't have any right to say Lord what you want me to do my life I started as a kid I thought I won't be a lawyer or an architect, but I laid those plans aside because God told me to be a minister got going to preach. I want my tower to be spiritually can see that I want to beat sacrificially construct Jesus said to go to build tower count the calls you will be disciple chemicals really were cheap ways way lazy way. Forget that's what most people want. But not only especially conceived sacrificially constructed, but steadfastly complete. He says count the costs. So you be able to finish the town. What a disciple is is a worshiper who will worship at any calls. What a disciple is is a worker who will build at any cost. He will not back away. He will not stop disciples worship in any calls disciples work at any cost and now disciples war at any cost. Look, if you will. Now in verse 31 and he says this and what King going to make war against another king said, not down first and consult with whether he be able with 10,000 meet in the coming against him with 20,000 rails while the others yet a great way all the sin of an ambassador age and desired conditions of peace now knows what our Lord is doing firstof crucifixion. Then he speaks of a construction and I speaks of a conflict of law is when I follow the Lord Jesus Christ. I follow Jesus into bad there's a war and it is a fight to the death, and your own one side or the other. You cannot be neutral and so far as the odds are concerned.

We are outnumbered with the Masters Meinhard in the parable of Jesus gives the question that Jesus gives his €10,000 20,000 that student while except the favor still on our side because of God before us, who can be against us. But what we need all warriors are not cowards.

Are you willing truly to go into the battle. Many of us want to get out on the scar on criticize many businessmen will not stand up against gambling, because they're afraid to hurt the business meeting will not witness for the Lord Jesus Christ in their offices because they're afraid it may not be politically correct. That is the crucified Jesus on the cross of gold that calyx we lawyers disciples are not cowards and disciples are not compromises. I want says if you don't count the cost when the battle gets take what you going to do is to send out an ambassador or to try make peace within boys enemies that you think that you can negotiate with the devil you think you can appease him by him all our you can come to some sort of a standoff with the death forget it. Gen. Douglas MacArthur said in war. There is no substitute for victory that is so true. Ladies and gentlemen in this life. There is no substitute for victory over the devil that if you try to have a peace treaty with the devil he's going to be easy. You get him or he'll get you, but there is no such thing as neutrality while Lord wants his disciples were not cowards 10,000. He is 20,001 Lord wants is disciples are not compromises sending out ambassadors to sit down with the devil and what he wants his disciples were not cautious when you going to battle. You have to go in with all of your heart and soul. Look in this passage of Scripture right down in verse 33. Likewise, whosoever he be of you that foresight is not all that he hath cannot be my disciple is that we Lord I give you something hit him on something you say Lord I give you promise me that more problems he deserves in a man's primitive all that he had this Jesus Christ have everything that you have is that any part of your life that is out of bounds to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Is there anything that you would say valid. Jesus, take your hands off that if there is you cannot be his disciple did not tell you that discipleship calls it cost to serve Jesus.

It cost every day, it caused every step of the way you see, there must be worshipers who worship at any cost, take up your cross, there must be workers who work at any cost, take up your tools. There must be warriors are at any cost, take up this all he cannot use cowards. He cannot use compromises he cannot use cautious people. We need a reckless burning, blazing, emotional, passionate love for Jesus Christ, we do I want to be that, disciple.

Then, last of all disciples must witness at any calls. Luke 14 beginning in verse 34. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its savor. That is, is staying access.

Wherewith shall it be seasoned. It is a good fit for the land. Yet for the Dunhill, but men casted out.

He that hath ears to hear, let anywhere our Lord knew that some people would not listen to this, but knows what our Lord does our Lord speaks first of all, about a crucifixion then a construction then a conflict and now a commission will like salt where the salt of the air, and that means we are to witness that's what salt does salt speaks of witness and testimony. Now think about what salt salt preserves Jesus called fisherman to follow him to be his disciples. They didn't refrigerate the fish. They couldn't they salted their fish down is salt that preserves it is salt that flavor. Is there something about your life. It's different is is ask about your life and your neighbor say something different about you. Are you just bland and tasteless and just a person with no is asked in your life. Why would anybody want to have my faith. Why would anybody want to be like me. If he cannot see a change in me. Paul said in Colossians 4 verse six let your speech be always with grace. Season with salt. Salt season salt. He then our world's sake.

I've seen the salt of the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to broken hearts broken hopes and broken homes. We are Christians just like you wonderful folks today. I we come to church and and where sermons and what we do we salt salt were salting one of you don't salt. Salt.

Jesus didn't say you the salt of the church. He said you're the salt of their passion. We live separate lives should we be separated.

Yes, separate from sinners, but not isolated from sinners here why the crucified Jesus go these friend of sinners. That's why they may live home across in what this church needs to do friend.

We need to get out of the salt shaker. We need to get out in our community as genuine disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ you know Jesus said if salt loses its softness. He said this in the sermon on the Mount. If salt loses its saltiness is good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden underfoot of men. They got the salt in the state from the Dead Sea and sometimes the salt lying out on the ground.

We get the rain and the elements would fall on and attaining disaster bite would leach out and poisonous chemicals would be left, you can put it on food was poisonous. If you put it in the fields it would kill the crops. If you put down the well, it would contaminate the water. They found one good thing for that kind of salt. Salt, that was no longer solving what they did with they put it on the roads. Why, because it would pack down it would absorb moisture and the weeds were not growing and so they put it on the road and it was good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under the foot of men want to be just drawing my breath and drawing my salary fighting to live well. I live to fight. I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ semi-sated in order for person to be happy that that's something you believe in someone to love and a calls to serve something to believe in someone to love and a calls to serve exegesis. I believe him I love him. I want to be a fully committed to sign Jesus Christ. Right now there is a conviction on your heart. Don't push that down surrender your life to Jesus. Right now you can pray something like this from your heart of God in heaven. I know that I've chosen my own way on the center and I cannot earn my salvation only through Jesus Christ can I be made whole and completely righteous because of what he did for me. And right now I abandon all my good works that I've done and I cling to what Jesus did on the cross for me.

I claim him as my Savior and I claim him as my Lord today work inside me, change me, make me a new creation. I pray I surrender all. Right now in Jesus name, amen.

If you prayed a prayer of commitment like that. Let us celebrate with you love to invite you to discover Jesus page on the website you'll find answers that you may need about your newfound faith. There is a response section. You can share your decision with us right there@lwf.org/radio. Click the tab at the top that says Discover Jesus and let us know what is happened in your life today again go to LWF.org/radio and click discover Jesus. We can't wait to hear from you if you like to order a copy of today's message. You can call us at 1877 love God you receive the entire message titled how to be a fully committed disciple of Jesus Christ.

This message is also part of the insightful sharing the good news series for the complete collection, all six powerful messages: number 1877 love God will go to LWF.org/radio or you can write distorted love and worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183 is a you today. Are you fully committed to Jesus. Are you willing to pay the price. The cost of your worship work more with this.

Thanks for studying God's word. To be sure to tune in next time for more right on love, I am Terry Vaughn, CEO Bloodworth finding with Adrian Rogers. I hope you and your family have enjoyed a beautiful Easter season. As we celebrate the most important event in history. Here's the two work? Now what 2000 years ago Jesus gave us the answer in the great commission going to all the world and proclaim the gospel friend. I want to ask you today grass the baton with Bloodworth finding to run with all the strength the Lord gives us and to extend the gospel together as far as we can rings how far is that broadcast digital and print media LWF website and at Bloodworth finding reaches across the nation and around the globe with the good news of Jesus Christ. I'm humbly asking you to consider a special and generous love offering give to expand the ways LWF is working to fulfill the great commission. This grass the baton together and run the kingdom race until Christ returns