Four Steps to Discipleship

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. —Luke 9:23

“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. —Luke 14:27

Christ’s calls people to be salvation— “Come UNTO me” (Mt. 11:28). After a person is saved He calls “come AFTER me,” as a disciple (follower). Disciple is defined in four steps:

First, there is a DECISION to make (IF any man WILL come after me…). Discipleship, like salvation, is a matter of choice. Jesus will not force you to be His disciple. You must choose to follow Him. As the song says, “I have DECIDED to follow Jesus.” Have you made that decision?

Second, there is a DENIAL of self (…let him DENY himself…).  When you follow Jesus as His disciple, you must put your personal agenda aside. A disciple of Christ is not “self-pleasing” but seeks to please God (2 Cor. 5:15).

Third, there is a DAILY execution (…and take up his cross daily…).  The cross is an instrument of death—death to self—death of personal rights. A.W. Tozer noted, “a crucified man has no plans of his own; looks in only one direction; and he isn’t coming down.” A cross is something that you DELIBERATELY and voluntarily choose to “take up.”  There is nothing glorious about a cross.  The cross is not something you enjoy—It is something that you “bear” (Luke 14:27).

Fourth, there is a DIRECTION to follow (…and follow me.”). Following Christ means you follow the direction He is going.

When Korean Airlines flight 007 took off from Anchorage on October 31, 1983 to fly directly to Seoul, Korea, the flight crew did not recognize the computer navigation system was off one-and-a-half degrees. The error went undetected as the 747 continued through the Aleutians and out over the Pacific.  The plane veered increasingly off course until eventually it was flying in Soviet air space.

Soviet radar picked up the plane and fighter jets scrambled to intercept the wayward flight and shot it out of the sky over mainland Russia. All aboard will killed.

It is so important to make sure you are following Jesus closely. The slightest deviation from following Christ may go unnoticed at first. But the further you go, the farther off the right path you will digress, until finally you are in enemy territory and your testimony is shot down.