Discipleship – What It Means
“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
Jesus – Luke 14:33
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Forsake – apotassō – to set apart, separate to separate one’s self, to take leave of, bid farewell to, to renounce, forsake
Disciple – mathētēs – a follower and learner of Jesus Christ.
As this verse in Luke tells us, a disciple (one who follows Jesus) must forsake all that he has.
“What??”, you might say, “I thought that Jesus wants me to be happy. These things, these people, all this stuff; they bring me happiness, but now you’re telling me I have to give them up??”
No, these are not my words, but the words of Jesus, who died on the cross to offer you forgiveness of your sins. It’s Him who says that we who follow Him (disciples) must give up all that we have for Him…and not look back as if we lost something. What’s to gain? Eternal life. (There is so much more.)
We must first give up our pride, and walk in humility. How can we learn anything if we are unteachable? We must come to Him with childlike trust.
Next, we must give up those hobbies and activities that draw us away from the Lord. Those things we do which result in us turning away from time in prayer or in the Bible, or in fellowship with other disciples. This can be a hard step. We can ask Jesus to empower us, and show us which things in our life these are. Those who have ears to hear, and eyes to see, will hear and see.
Does forsaking all I have, mean that I must sell everything and give it to the poor? No, but we must be willing to do so if the Lord leads us in that direction.
Does this mean that I have to separate myself from my friends and family? No, but it is best to separate ourselves from anyone who’s relationship with us restrains, diverts, or negatively affects our walk with Jesus. A friend who causes us to sin, is not a friend worth keeping. God, will show us if there are people in our life like this. Disciples will ask the Lord about this, those who are not disciples will not.
Does that mean that I need to give up my job? Perhaps, if the Lord has need of us elsewhere, He will make it clear that the change is necessary.
Do I have to sell my house and move across the country? It’s a possibility, if the Lord calls us to do so, we must be willing.
How will He tell me that I need to give up these things? Those who are disciples will have eyes to see the direction and ears to hear the voice of our shepherd. Daily prayer and reading of scripture are helpful ways to seek God’s guidance. God will speak to us in other ways also, but prayer and reading our Bibles are two ways in which we can all actively seek the Lord’s guidance.
To give up everything for God. It’s not a minor thing. The world would tell us that the cost is too high. However, I have found that as we move forward in faith, and with willing hearts, we discover that which we gain far surpasses that which we give up.
