Village Schools of the Bible

THE CROWN OF DISCIPLESHIP
by Max Frazier, Jr.
Part 3 of a 3 Part Study

Discipleship is the buzz-word in evangelical churches today. Nearly every church has its program of discipleship. Dozens of books have been written and several seminars have been developed to both inspire would-be disciplers and to train them. The focus is upon discipleship because that is what Jesus commanded us to do, for you remember His words to the eleven as He was about to be taken into glory: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations(Matthew 28:19). Now, we may not be certain exactly what that command means, but we will proceed in obedience.

In our first article on discipleship (July 2003), we examined the call to discipleship. It began with a command to follow Jesus: Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men (Mark 1:17). We choose to follow Jesus because He is the only way to God (John 14:6) and because He has set before us an unblemished example to follow (Hebrews 4:15). It continued with an encouragement to not be afraid: Then Jesus said to Simon, Dont be afraid; from now on you will catch men (Luke 5:10). Fear is one of the great barriers to effective discipleship, yet that barrier can be torn down when we think that Christ is with us (Romans 8:31). Finally, the call concluded with the goal of reaching men and women for Christ (Mark 1:17).

In the second article (September 2003), we discovered that discipleship came with a cost. Jesus never promised us an easy way. He talked about taking up crosses and losing lives and denying selves (Luke 9:23-25). He told of being hated by the world (John 15:18-20), and of being persecuted by the world (Matthew 5:10-12). He said He came to bring the sword and to cause family disruptions (Matthew 10:34-36). To be a true follower of Jesus a disciple, more than just a believer demands that we consider the cost. Just as an army general had better consider the cost of going into battle, or a contractor the cost of building a skyscraper, so we, too, are admonished to consider the cost of entering into a relationship with One who paid a tremendous price for our salvation One who knew the cost.

Is there any fruit, any reward, any crown that accompanies discipleship? That will be our focus for this final article. We begin with Jesus words in Mark 10:29-30. I tell you the truth, Jesus replied, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields and with them persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. That was Jesus answer to a question posited by Peter desiring to know just what he should expect to get by following Jesus.

A few years ago I copied the following poem that encouraged my own heart. I share it with you as we begin our study. I dont know who the author is, but I know he has blessed many hearts with his words.

Who does Gods work will get Gods pay,
However long may seem the day,
However weary be the way.

Though powers and princes thunder, Nay!
No human hand Gods hand can stay;
Who does His work will get His pay.

He does not pay as others pay,
In gold, or land, or raiment gay,
In goods that perish and decay.

But Gods high wisdom knows a way;
And this is sure, let come what may,
Who does Gods work will get Gods pay.

The first reward or crown is that of our eternal life. To truly know Jesus Christ and to follow Him results in receiving eternal life. Listen to this testimony from the pen of the Apostle Paul: What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8). As Paul looked back over his life and it had been a full and rich life, full of privileges and opportunities accorded to only a few in his day he concluded that those things paled when compared with his new life in Christ. In fact, those things were as valuable as manure when compared to the life he had in Christ. You might want to say to Paul, But you gave up so much! And his reply would be, But what I gained was of infinitely more value than what I gave up. The Apostle Paul had counted the cost and considered the value of following Christ Jesus better than following his own dreams and goals.

A second reward or crown, and probably one that we most desire to focus upon, is that of the blessings of God. We think of those to whom God has increased material blessings; of Abraham, of whom it was said that he was very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold (Genesis 13:2). Or of a Job who, after persevering through the trials accorded him by God, received double blessings from God (Job 42:10-17). One can also think of those in our present world, blessed abundantly by God with material possessions, who have been used by God to help with many ministries. But, God does not always choose to bless His disciples in this manner. He certainly never rewarded His earthly disciples James, John, Peter, and the rest in this way. (In fact, James was the first of the disciples to die; hardly seems like a blessing).

But God has promised to bless us spiritually. A favorite verse of mine is Ephesians 1:3, where Paul encouraged the believers in that growing church that they had been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. He then proceeded to identify just a few of those blessings: being chosen by God before the foundation of the world (Wow! So remarkable that I cannot comprehend it!); being adopted into the family of God (Wow! God chose me to be His child!); of being redeemed and forgiven (Wow! I am liberated from the bondage to sin!); and of possessing an inheritance for all eternity (Wow! I am indeed rich!)

Friends, perhaps it is time that you and I take an hour or so and begin to list on a piece of paper all that is ours in Christ Jesus. These are the crowns of following Him in obedience.

Finally, God is preparing a fantastic place for us where we can spend all of eternity with Him. Jesus, before leaving His disciples, gave them this promise: In my Fathers house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:2-3). One can hardly envision what heaven will be like and of the One who will greet us upon our arrival. Perhaps the following story will minister to your heart as it did to mine:

A small boy sat quietly in a seat of the day coach on a train running between two of the Western cities in the United States. It was a hot, dusty day, very uncomfortable for traveling and that particular ride was perhaps the most uninteresting days journey in the whole land. But the little fellow sat patiently watching the fields and the fences hurrying by, until a motherly old lady, leaning forward, asked sympathetically, Arent you tired of the long ride, dear, and the dust and the heat? The lad looked up brightly, and replied, with a smile, Yes, maam, a little. But I dont mind it much because my father is going to meet me when I get to the end of it.

At times when we are tempted to complain because of the journey and often there is much about which to complain we should pause and focus upon the One who will greet us upon our arrival. To be greeted with His warm embrace and to hear His words, Well done, faithful servant, will be reward enough, dont you agree?

Peter, you might receive some material blessings because you have chosen to follow Me. More likely, you will receive some persecutions experience some hatred from others. But, Peter, you will receive spiritual blessings that will fill your life with purpose and meaning. And, I will be there awaiting your arrival when you get home.

So, we may ask Peter, was following Jesus worth it? I believe he would respond as did the Apostle Paul, Absolutely, everything else was as valuable as manure. They understood the call to discipleship and accepted the cost associated with following Jesus. And they experienced the crowns that came when Jesus Christ was the Lord and Master of their lives. May that be true of us as well.

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