Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Matt. 16:24

In the modern world, followers of Jesus face numerous challenges. Along with the regular frustrations and disappointments that we all struggle with in life, the rapid secularization of the culture has become increasingly discouraging as well. While certain biblical values that Christians hold to are simply dismissed as closed-minded or anti-intellectual, others are now actively derided as both harmful and hateful. We now face increased cultural pressure to either reject the overall message and teachings of Scripture or adapt them to modern sentiments.

The days in which we live certainly present a challenge to us as believers, but they also present a valuable opportunity to examine ourselves. Perhaps we are discouraged because we have become accustomed to being in a position of cultural dominance, something that was certainly not the case for our brothers and sisters in the first few centuries of Church History. In light of the changes that have occurred within the culture, we would do well then to look back into Scripture and recall what it means to truly be a believer in, and follower of, Jesus.

When we look into the NT, we see that the term disciples is employed most frequently by the authors of the Gospels and Acts to refer to those who followed Jesus. Although the concept of a teacher surrounding himself with pupils has parallels in both the Jewish and Greco-Roman cultures, what we see in the relationship between Jesus and His disciples is categorically different. What the followers of Jesus were offered was not first and foremost a cause or a body of instruction, it was Jesus, Himself. His disciples were called to believe that He was the promised Messiah and they were then to orient their entire lives around this reality. There was therefore a profound shift in their identity that was to follow naturally from their belief in Him that would set them apart from whatever culture in which they found themselves and that would furnish them with good news to proclaim.

Over the next several weeks in the lead up to Easter, we will consider what it means to be a disciple. Specifically, we will give consideration to the courage that we should have as followers of Jesus. Our texts that we consider in each of these studies will be taken from Matthew’s gospel which, more than any other book of Scripture, refers to Christians as disciples. As we look into this wonderful book, we will consider both the example and teachings of Jesus and look to apply them to our own cultural moment as we seek to live as courageous disciples of the Lord Jesus.

Join us this Sunday as we gather to worship together as we introduce this series and consider the foundation of discipleship, repentance.

Soli Deo Gloria.

-Thomas