America Needs A Discipleship Point of View

Developing A Biblical-Discipleship Point of View


Today I want to share something that I have been thinking about in my spirit for years regarding developing a biblical discipleship point of view. The church in America needs desperately to develop a real biblical point of view.
The problem is we think we have a biblical point of view because we go to Church on Sundays. Nearly everyone claims to be a Christian in our nation. There is a difference between a Christian and a disciple. The Bible says the disciples were called Christians, it did not say the Christians were called disciples. To make it plain Jesus called them disciples and men called them Christians. The word Christian was not even used until A.D. 46 in Acts: 11: 26

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Acts 11: 26

We tend to think in our country that we know everything about God because of our level of education when we really know little or nothing about God. We simply have sense-knowledge religion with no power. We have a form of God denying the supernatural. We need a biblical point of view, not just a form of godliness.


5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 2 Timothy 3:5 (New International Version)

We have many confessing Christianity, but few disciples. A disciple is a student or a pupil that follows the disciplines of the Master. Disciples act like their teacher. In this case, Jesus.


POINT OF VIEW
Point of view is an interesting concept. It is defined as some body's way of thinking about or approaching a subject, as shaped by his or her own character, experience, mindset, and history.
Your point of view has been shaped by your experience and history. This is why the democrats and republicans fight so much. It is impossible to have unity in this nation with different points of view. It is impossible for a person that has never experienced something to even relate to the person that has. It is hard to relate to need if you grew up with all of your needs constantly met or in affluence. You need to walk in another's moccasins to be able to see their point of view. To think that politicians can solve our problems is having a worldly, not a biblical point of view. The Church is supposed to influence the nation through prayer not partisan politics.

THE REAL JESUS!
The real Jesus demands that we count the cost of being a disciple. Figuring the cost is a biblical point of view. Every disciple of Jesus must count the cost first. Don't be religious! Be like Jesus! Be a disciple! We have many churches, but few disciples in America because we have failed to embrace a biblical point of view. Let's read what Jesus said about discipleship from a modern translation. I use this translation to make it as simple and plain as possible.

Figure the Cost
25-27 One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters-yes, even one's own self!-can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple. 28-30 "Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn't first sit down and figure the cost so you'll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you're going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: 'He started something he couldn't finish.' 31-32 "Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can't, won't he send an emissary and work out a truce? 33 "Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple. 34 "Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it's useless, good for nothing. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?"
Luke 14: 28-30 The Message


FAMILY CHURCHES
Now I want to share something that will curl your hair or straighten it out! Get ready! Here it is: "From a biblical perspective your family can be the biggest hindrance to you being a true biblical disciple." We promote this family thing like family is God in America. Many families are simply goofed un and will never serve God as a unit. That is why Jesus said "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters-yes, even one's own self!-can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple.
You will not hear that in the average American FAMILY CHURCH. Yet they claim to have a biblical point of view.
If a family chooses to serve God together that is awesome. That is God's best. But if your family is full of fruits, nuts and flakes, what are you going to do? Most family trees are full of nuts! Are you going to come down to their level and live in compromise or are you going to "let go" of them and be a disciple of Jesus. We have made the Word of God of non-effect because of family tradition. I repeat; It is great if a family serves god together, but you are not excused from discipleship because your husband, wife, children, mother or father refuses to make a total commitment to discipleship. The American church has the FAMILY CHURCH marketing strategy because they know that parents want their kids to grow up in Church, but it is not a biblical point of view! You had better love and fear God more than you love and fear family. Jesus did!

46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
You won't hear this preached in you seeker - friendly Family Church, but this is the biblical point of view regarding family and discipleship. This is a huge part of the problem with American Christianity. We refuse to put discipleship above "family" when natural family has little to do with the kingdom. Jesus plainly said they that do the will of God are the real family of God. If you read this and choose to remain ignorant, so be it! Matthew 12: 46-50


JUDE MAKES THE CONTRAST CLEAR
The book of Jude was written by Jesus' natural brother (Mary had other children after Jesus) and I think that it clearly depicts what discipleship is and what it isn't . Please read the book from the Message translation below and contrast what Jude says with we see in the Christian Church today
Jude was the brother of James the Just and therefore the half brother of Jesus and writer of the epistle of Jude. He was not one of the 12 disciples and never spoken of an apostle even in the wider sense. Jude is barely mentioned in gospels. Called himself brother of James, therefore of Jesus.. The epistle of Jude was written in 66 or 67. It is a vigorous denunciation of the heresy of a group of Christians who considered themselves so spiritual that they did not need to obey the ordinary rules of decent behavior. They thought that anything they chose to do would be all right and that the usual moral laws did not apply to them, a gospel of sensuality.

Jude 1
1-2 I, Jude, am a slave to Jesus Christ and brother to James, writing to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ. Relax, everything's going to be all right; rest, everything's coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way! 3-4 Dear friends, I've dropped everything to write you about this life of salvation that we have in common. I have to write insisting-begging!-that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish. What has happened is that some people have infiltrated our ranks (our Scriptures warned us this would happen), who beneath their pious skin are shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license-which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master.