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DISCIPLESHIP |
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33).
"Follow Me" (Matthew 4:19).
"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24).
"That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death....I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:10,14).
"If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32).
"Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life" (John 6:68).
"One of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray....And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Luke 11:1,9-10).
"If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26).
"He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10:37).
"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath,
he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:33).
Note: "forsaketh" means "to say goodbye to, to bid farewell to."
The disciple owns nothing; rather, he is owned (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" (Phil. 3:7-8).
"And whosoever doth not bear [carry] his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:27; compare Galatians 6:14).
Note: In Romans days the condemned criminal was to carry his cross to the place of execution. To such a man the charms of the world, though once very alluring, meant nothing. Furthermore the world that looked on had nothing but scorn for such a despised person. As far as I am concerned, the world died; as far as the world is concerned, I died (Gal. 6:14).
"If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26).
"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself [say "No" to self], and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it" (Luke 9:23-24).
"And ye shall be hated of all men for My Name's sake" (Matthew 10:22).
"I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you...If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (see John 15:18-20).
"Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:31-32).
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation" (Matthew 26:41).
"By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35).
"And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all" (see Mark 10:42-45).
"Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38).
"Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19).
"But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 10:33).
"Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples" (John 15:8).
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The Middletown Bible Church |