Disciples and followers

The image below represents what I believe are the degrees in the spiritual realm. The darkest part is the world, next is the follower, next is the disciple and the brightest is Christ.

These are the foundational teachings of the kingdom. The most important part of a house is the foundation even though it’s not as flashy. It can be boring and long. This teaching is really long but it's one of the most important ones i've ever done.

If the foundation of a house is weak, one storm will take it out. No matter how beautiful it looks on the outside.

Matthew 7:24-27 Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its collapse!”

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

So the main reason Jesus came was to die on the cross for the sins of the world so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Acts 26:18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me (Jesus).

Before Jesus came, by faith, there was a way God would do it in a figure (foreshadow) for different people groups but now the real substance is here – Jesus and His cross.

Genesis 14:6 Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD considered his response of faith as proof of genuine loyalty.

Luke 13:22-30 And He [Jesus] went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

How I interpret Jesus’ words there is… we’re saved by true faith, not by placing ourselves in a faith/religion and that knowing Him after the flesh profits a man nothing. Like how someone can know your name and where you live but not actually know you but a pen pal of yours that only knows a fake name and location you use on the internet knows your likes, dislikes, hobbies etc. The pen pal who thinks they’re the last will be the first. That’s how I see it.

The second reason He came was to mature those that believe in Him to His nature so that He wouldn’t call them followers or servants but brothers and friends. A friend to confide in and lean on.

Hebrews 2:11 For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.

The word ‘disciple’ means to learn. To embark on a journey of learning and unlearning by the Spirit of truth.

There were 4000 followers, at times 7000 but only 120 disciples in Acts chapter 1. 120/4000 = 3%. But there are many disciples in this generation. So many! Let’s say there are 500 million people that actually believe that Jesus died for their sins and aren't just Christians by name… 3% of that is 15 million. The Joel 2 army!!! What a great time we live in. In Elijah’s day there were only 7000. You can see those fiery ones all over the internet from every nation, tribe and tongue. They smell like death to the world but to God – a sweet smelling sacrifice. Does the devil really stand a chance? Nope. But still, our safety isn't in numbers. It's in obedience.

Anyway... gifting isn’t what defines discipleship. Application of teachings defines discipleship. A prophet/teacher could be a gifted follower or even in the world like Balaam or Judas. God sees the heart. Like Paul said when he was in prison…

Philippians 1:15-18 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defence of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

The danger of staying a part of the world is eternal damnation in Hell.

Luke 13:1-5 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

The point Jesus was making there is that everyone has sinned. There are no greater sinners than others. There are only sins that have worse consequences than others. That chocolate you stole when you were a kid can take you to Hell lol. So everyone needs a Saviour.

James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all.

The penalty for breaking even one law is eternity in Hell because God’s kingdom has no impurity. There’s no middle ground. So either we’re cleansed by His Son’s blood or Hell. There can be no true love, joy and peace without a separation from those that refuse to submit to the way of the King.

Hebrews 6:1-2 not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

A simple distinction between a follower and a disciple is the follower always goes to God for what they want but the disciple usually goes to God for what He wants. Jesus healed and taught the followers but He made it very clear that they had to put in effort to become disciples.

John 6:26-27 Jesus replied [to the crowd], “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”

In that scripture Jesus got irritated. Imagine people listening to you but not actually planning to at least try to apply what you've said. They were just waiting for a miracle. What's the point of even teaching then?

The Israelites Moses was leading to the promised land were all followers. They wanted to go to the promised land when things were good and the Egyptians were giving them gold and everything for their journey but once trials began in the wilderness they were packing up to go back to Egypt to enjoy nice food and stuff. Very few of them actually cared to get to know God. Imagine someone you’re in love with only coming to you for money, cars, houses etc. They don’t love you. They love your things. It’s better to wait for someone that would love you even if you didn’t own anything. Someone that would die for you like you would for them. A ride or die. I heard that it's hard to find true love or even friendship when you're rich and God owns everything so you can imagine the pain He's gone through over the centuries.

Song of Solomon 8:6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is as strong as death; jealousy is as cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are coals of fire, which has a most vehement flame.

Hosea 6:6 I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

Hebrews 3:10-11 Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known My ways.’ So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’”

I believe that God is so gracious that you may even see some of those guys in Heaven but they entered by the skin of their teeth because according to the Bible, to be saved you just have to believe but at the same time true belief manifests in actions soooo.

There’s also a danger in remaining just a follower in the last days. I believe that this warning is given in Matthew 25 – the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Time is running out for ‘consumer’ Christianity. I think time has already run out.

The percentage of disciples are so few. Here’s why…

Luke 14:25-33 Large crowds were now traveling with Jesus, and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple. Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it? Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is unable to finish the work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’ Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand? And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.

The word ‘hate’ there is just a comparison. In other words, your love for Him compared to your love for other people or things should be so high that the love for other people or things could even be seen as hate because the difference is so great. I also don’t think “giving up everything” means owning nothing and having no one. I think it means being willing to give them up when He asks. Like Abraham being willing to give up Isaac. It’s like being in the army. Have what you have but when they send you on a mission, you should be able to let go of what you have for a time or even forever. Like Peter spent a lot of time away from his wife during those 3 years of Jesus’ ministry then I think he spent a lot of time with her after that. He would only visit during the 3 years like that time when Jesus healed his mother in law. It really is like being in the army. Everything has to come second. In a nation, only a small percentage join the army because if you do, you’re putting your life on the line. What is this life anyway? Everyone’s trying to figure out why they’re here. To live is Christ and to die is gain. The end point of life is death. Continual death to self and birth into the new. The promise for all the sacrifices is this…

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Abraham was still a disciple before he offered Isaac up. ABRAHAM!!! The father of faith was a disciple until that point. Lol sometimes I think I have no chance.

James 2:20-24 O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless? Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.

(James said "O foolish man"... Those guys back then were really rough calling people “foolish” “brood of serpents” “get behind me Satan” “who bewitched you?” lol)

Here's an example of the above scripture… if you want to know if someone loves you, there are things that they will naturally do. It will flow out of them. They won’t have to force it. In the same way, if someone truly has faith, there are things that they will naturally do. Religion is like forcing it. From the outside to the inside rather than from the inside to the outside. A form/image/pretence of godliness without the inner working transformative power of the Holy Spirit. It's so important to be real. It's such a free, great feeling to just be you. Religion doesn't like real. How about 'realigion'? Nah? Too corny? Cool. Forget I ever said it lol.

Faith and love are like good soil that naturally nurture a seed to a tree that produces good fruit when watered over time with patience and care, not through force.

So Abraham was only called a ‘friend’ after that. However, it was different with the actual disciples of Jesus. It only took them 3 years while with Abraham it was like 30 years. Maybe because they had more knowledge. Abraham started with very little, I think, but did so well with that little. Like how a father can start with little, then their son has more to start with then the grandson has a lot more.

John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.

Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him; and He will shew them his covenant.

The requirements to be a disciple were heavy. It was “taking up your cross”. The preaching of the cross is foolishness. Jesus was very lonely up there. Everyone wants to share in the glory but few can embrace the cross. Would you die for Him? Even harder… would you live for Him?

“Jesus has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross.” – Thomas a Kempis

The disciples, before they were called, saw something very wrong with this present world so they plunged themselves into the world to come (through not just hearing but applying the teachings of Christ) when they saw the glory of it. They died to their own will. Disciples were commissioned by Jesus to make more disciples. I read this quote recently…

"The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers."

So how is anyone able to give up that much? Well, I’ve experienced that there’s such a sweetness of God’s essence that once you’ve tasted it, there’s only one way you can choose. Everything has to come second. This is why the psalmist said…

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

The problem comes when our spirits miss days of tasting. If a person doesn’t work out their muscles, they begin to decrease in size. That happens to our spirits also. So priorities begin to change. Other things take precedence over God. If we don’t eat daily, our bodies get weak, if we don’t seek God daily, our spirits get weak.

Becoming a disciple may not make sense at first glance because you’re giving up your life for service and a deep relationship with God not riches, status or anything. But there is stewarding of wealth and power by the leading of the Spirit, not hoarding for status like the world does it. That's the service bit.

Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

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So the life of Christ continually overtakes the disciple’s spirit until like Paul they can say…

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

At that point God becomes very close and personal. As Paul said there “gave himself for me”. Christ gave His life for the world but there’s a way He can look at you (not in a vision… in your heart) that makes it so one on one. John was like that as well…

John 13:23-24 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.

John 19:26-27 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

John 20:2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved

John 21:7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.

At that point, your spirit becomes His bride and He now spends a lot of time alongside you in your flesh/house. Our bodies are described as houses in the Bible.

2 Peter 1:14 because I know that this tent will soon be laid aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.

Revelation 3:20 Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

I believe that’s what holy communion symbolises. Becoming one body.

A man doesn’t live in the same house as his bride. Only a husband and a wife live and sleep in the same house. So until the “marriage supper of the lamb”, He just visits and can even minister to people through you, then goes back. But the Spirit of God is always in the bride’s house like a comforter that knows her strengths and weaknesses and convinces her of Jesus and lifts Him up in her heart (whenever she makes time for communion) from the time of being a follower and onwards.

Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and shout for joy! Let us give Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb has come [at last] and His bride (the redeemed) has prepared herself.”

Before that full inhabiting together, you can get to a point where Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit spend so much time in your house (body) that people begin to think you’re Jesus or His brother or something then similar to John the Baptist you’ll say “I’m just another voice in the wilderness pointing to Him.” Check this excerpt from Sadhu Sundar Singh’s biography out…

A STRANGE guest is standing before the door of an English house: a tall, upright figure in a long, saffron-coloured robe, with a large turban wound round his head. His olive complexion and his black beard proclaim his Indian birth; his dark eyes, with their gentle expression, reveal a heart at rest, and they shine with an infinite kindness. The stranger gives his name to the girl who opens the door: Sadhu Sundar Singh. The girl gazes at him for a moment in astonishment, then she hastens to call her mistress: “There is someone at the door who wishes to see you, ma'am; I can't pronounce his name, but he looks like Jesus Christ!”

At a meeting in a certain town in America a three-year-old child was sitting in the front row. She was staring with all her might at the speaker — that mysterious man in the saffron robe. When the speaker had finished his address and had sat down, the little girl said in a clear, high voice, which rang through the hall: “Is he Jesus Christ?”

The English girl and the American child were not the only people who instantly perceived the sanctity and divine vocation of the Indian visitor who reminded them so much of our Lord. Many men and women, both in Asia and in Europe, who had the good fortune to see him felt as though he were a reincarnation of one of the great men of God from Bible days.

Wherever he goes you hear people saying: “How like he is to Christ!" writes Mrs. Parker, his friend and biographer. And Jean Fleury, a missionary among the Mahrattas, says: "The man is a living sermon: I have never met anyone who helps you to see Christ as he does."

I think that's a great goal to have. Don't you?