What does it mean to be a disciple of Yeshua? This is a very important question and one we should all reflect on. Let’s read what Yeshua had to say about it.
The Meaning of Discipleship
24“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25“It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!
26“Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27“What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. 28“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31“So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
32“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33“But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
34“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35“For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; 36and A MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.
37“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
There are some important considerations about discipleship after Yeshua.
- A disciple does not seek to be greater than his teacher, but rather to become like his teacher.
- Do not fear those who come against you. Do not hide what you have learned, but rather speak it and live it boldly.
- Rather than fear men who can only destroy your body, fear the one who can destroy body and soul… that means Yahweh. We often ignore how Yahweh feels about the choices we make and instead try to please men.
- Yahweh loves us. We are important to Him. So, too, are the animals important to Him, even ones seemingly unimportant like sparrows.
- If we want Yeshua to confess us before the Father, we likewise must confess Him before men. There is no such thing as a private faith that we hide to avoid confrontation or uncomfortable situations. There are situations where we may need to leave to avoid physical harm, but the concept of living entirely hidden or private in our faith should be discarded.
- Do not expect peace. Truly living for Christ will create conflict even within families. We will have to decide who is most important and the answer for a true disciple must be Yeshua over all others.
- We will all have a cross to bear in some way. If we turn away from it because it is too hard or we don’t want to face difficulty, we are not worthy of Yeshua.
- We will only truly find life by laying down our life, our desires, our plans, and submitting to live for Yeshua no matter the cost.
Truly being a disciple is not an easy thing. It is not for the faint of heart. But the reward is amazing to live alongside our God and serve Him.
I encourage all who want to continue on the path of being a disciple to consider investing some time in a few key teachings we have compiled at Hearing From Jesus.
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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.