Great Themes of the Bible (continued)
DISCIPLESHIP
1. THe NATURE OF DISCIPLESHIP
HAT DOES being a disciple of Christ mean? When V V Christ called disciples, this was the word of command, "Follow me." A true disciple of Christ is one who follows Him in duty, and shall follow Him to glory. He is one that comes after Christ, not one who dictates his terms, as Peter seemed to be doing on one occasion (Matt. xvi. 22), forgetting his place. A disciple of Christ comes after him as the sheep after the shepherd, the servant after his master, the soldiers after their captain. He is one that aims at the same end that Christ aimed at, the glory of God and the glory of heaven. He is one who walks in the same way that He walked in, is led by His Spirit, treads in His steps, submits to His conduct, and "follows the Lamb whithersoever he goeth" (Rev. xiv. 4).
2. THE TERMS OF DISCIPLESHIP
What are the great things required of those who will be Christ's disciples? "If any man be willing'' to come denotes a deliberate choice, and cheerfulness, and resolution in that choice. Many are disciples more by chance, or the will of others, than by any act of their own will. But Christ will have His people volunteers (cf. Ps. cx. 3). It is as if Christ had said: If any of the people who are not My disciples be steadfastly minded to come to Me, and if you that are in like manner minded to stick to Me, it is upon these terms, these and no other; you must follow Me in sufferings, as well as in other things; and, therefore, when you sit down to count the cost, reckon upon it.
Now what are these terms? (a) Let him deny himself. Peter had advised Christ to spare Himself (Matt. xvi. 22), and would be ready in the like case to take the advice. But Christ tells them all that they must be so far from sparing themselves; they must deny themselves. Herein they must come after Christ. For His birth, and life, and death were all a continued act of self-denial, a self-emptying