About

Big Apple Chapel is a New Testament based church in New York City, modeled after the pattern of the early church, with a strong emphasis on following Christ as a community of His disciples.

Services
  • Sunday - 10:30 am
  • 520 8th Ave, 16th floor
    New York, NY
  • phone: +1 (973) 837-1041
 

Sermons

BAC Sermons

Survey of Discipleship

2012-05-20

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Those who are called disciples in the gospels are the:

CURIOUS

Those who followed Christ and expressed a willingness to listen to His teachings.  Mt 4:25; 5:1

CONVINCED

Those who believed Jesus was a prophet/priest. Jn 2:11 first of his miraculous signs...He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. 

COMMITTED

Those who believed Jesus was the promised King, and who follow in spite of hardship, willing to pay the same price Jesus did to accomplish God's will for their lives.  

John 6:66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God
Lk 14:26...not hate...yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple
Lk 14:27..who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple
Lk 14:33...who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. 
Jn 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said: If you hold to my teachingyou are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 
Jn 13:35...all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." 
Jn 15:8... you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 

CONFORMED

Those who in the process of following Christ experience a transformation of values, attitudes, and actions, becoming like Christ. 

 

Decision to be Made
Mt 9:9 Mk 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Lk 14:28 -33...same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. 34 "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 
Lk 9:57-62 No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." 


I to be Denied  
Mt 19:27 We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. Lk 14:25; 14:33; Mt. 10:37 


Savior to be Followed  
Jn 12:26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. 1 Pt 2:2;1Jn 10:4 Mt 8:19; 1Cor 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 2Th 3:9 
Alternatives to following Christ  1TI 4:1 follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 5:15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.   2 Pt 2:2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.   Jude 1:16 These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; 18 They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." 19 follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.


Cross to be Carried 
Lk 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 
Mt 10:38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 


Incarnation to be Imitated   Immersion (in Water & Word) to be Continued
Mt 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore going,  make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Jn 8:30-32; Jn 4:1
Lk 6:40 disciple not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. 


Production to be Produced  
Mk 1:17 follow me...I will make you fishers of men  Acts 14:21 -233
John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man abides/remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide/remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you abide/remain in me and my words abide/remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples


Love to be Lavished
Jn 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." 
Acts 11:29 The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. 

CROWNED

Those who have paid the cost that Christ paid will share in the reward  that Christ received for His faithfulness and service.  

 

Expectation to be Earned
Mt 16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life/soul will lose it, but whoever loses his life/soul for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his life/soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his life/soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. Mt 10:4119:21, 27-29; Lk 9:23-28