THE BLESSINGS OF DISCIPLESHIP

CHAPTER 10

           "Then Peter said, Lo, we have left, all and have followed thee.  And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." (Mark 10:28-30.) 

     It is only natural for a man to ask what he is going to be paid if he contracts for something, and there was nothing out of order for Peter and the apostles to wonder what they were going to receive for their service to their Master.  It is reasonable to inquire the cost, or the effort required to be put forth in any situation; then to want to know what the reward is going to be. This is particularly true for those who would truly be disciples of the Lord.  When Jesus gave the answer to Peter's question, . . . what shall we have therefore . . . (Matt. 19:27.) As we read the answer, it is reasonable for us to think in terms of material things.  It appears that many have made this error and have come to the conclusion that God is slack concerning his promises.  It seems some are teaching, and many believe, that if they tithe and follow the letter of God's holy word, that they will be blessed with material things; that they will be on "easy street."  When men become "pseudo-disciples" for their own personal gain; when they endeavor to serve the Lord in order to get him to bless them, they are in for extreme disappointment.  In the first place, they have not left all; they have not sold all that they have and until this is done, the blessings will not come. When Toplady penned, "Rock of Ages": Viz., ". . . Naked come to thee for dress, Helpless look to thee for grace, Vile I to the fountain fly, Wash me Saviour or I die." He recognized that the rewards were only to those who come with nothing: "Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling." There is a positive side to the benefits of discipleship, but if the motivation comes from hope of material increase, the effort is of no avail.  David said, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread." (Psalm 36:25.) Those who serve the Lord because of what he has done for them; because they love his people and want to serve them, will not be forsaken and will receive manifold more, but those who expect material blessings are completely of the wrong attitude.  "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14:17.) What more can we really desire than these three things? "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." (I Timothy 6:8.) Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, instructed: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."(Matthew 6:33.) The true disciple may not receive all that he wants, but he will receive all that he needs for his life in this world.

     There is another facet of discipleship that is obviously overlooked by many who are willing to commit themselves to follow Jesus.  It is a common expression: "It really does not matter what you believe if you are sincere about it." This is true concerning sonship, but it is of the utmost importance to believe the truth if one is to have the full blessings of discipleship.  "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32.) Belief always pertains to discipleship and the earnest of the inheritance. 

     It brings evidence of sonship, but is not the procuring factor in sonship.  Jesus said:

          "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great." (Luke 6:46-49.)

     The rewards of discipleship are only to those who walk in truth -- that is what Jesus meant by hearing, he meant understanding – and if we are not willing to dig deeply enough to sift out the dross from what men say, and measure everything by the scriptures, no matter how sincere we are, we are going to have our philosophical house destroyed.  It does make a difference what we believe, and the rewards of discipleship are only to those who walk in truth.

     Sometimes we are too obstinate, too dogmatic in our views to take what the Lord says in his word.  There is a story of a woman who told her pastor that she did not believe the doctrine of predestination of men to eternal glory.  The pastor told her to go home and read certain very clear passages of scripture on the subject.  Finally, he asked her to what conclusion she had come. She told him that she knew the scriptures said it, but that she still did not believe it.  Then, there is the case of the precious old lady who told her minister that she did not believe something that he had preached.  He told her that it came from the Bible, straight.  She told him that it was not in her Bible.  He assured her that it was and she was adamant that it was not in her Bible. He said, "Sister, please get me your Bible and I will show it to you." She said, "There is no use.  I know that it is not in there because I tore out that page." No one who has an attitude like these two can ever be a disciple in the strictest sense of the word.  "ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17.) No man ever received all the rewards of discipleship until he was willing to believe what God has said in his word; then hide it in his heart. (Psalm 119:11.)

     If a man is going to receive a hundredfold more, and it is not in material things, in what can it be? Jesus said:

          "Lay not up for yourselves treasurers upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where the     thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasurers in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21.)

     There are things of much more importance than riches, social position, fame, etc.  The hundredfold was obviously not in these things; it is in the spiritual realm.  This is the area of greatest importance to men.  If men should live to the age of 100 years or more, it is but an infitessimal moment when compared to the eternal bliss of heaven, but it appears that much more was under consideration than everlasting joy.  He said, "An hundredfold now in this time," but I also want all the inheritance that belongs to me for my use in this world, but do not want it more for myself than for all the pilgrims and strangers on earth.

     I want us first to look at a very wealthy man who died a few years ago: Mr. Howard Hughes.  From media reports, he was a miserable human in his last years, although he had wealth to purchase everything his heart desired.  There was no satisfaction in his riches when he came to the place that he needed that which money could not buy.  On the other hand, I have seen many who had scarcely more than subsistence means in material things; yet who were so rich in faith, so filled with the Spirit of God that they were a blessing to all who knew them.  The word of Christ was dwelling in them richly and they could say with David of old: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want . . ." (Psalm 23:1.) They were not afraid to live and they were not afraid to die.  Truly, they had manifold more than Mr. Hughes when the day declared their work. (See I Cor. 3:9-15.)

     Suppose that we were like seventy percent of the people in the world; that we knew nothing about the resurrection of Christ from the dead.  The Jews at the time of Christ had nothing but promissory knowledge and many of them did not believe in the resurrection. (Matthew 22:23.) Probably the greatest blessing of discipleship is the assurance that all those who die in the Lord will live in glory forever.  Only apostles and disciples had the historical assurance, along with the witness of the Holy Spirit that they were going to live again.  Is not that manifold more blessings than those who have no knowledge of the resurrection of Jesus can lay hold upon? This blessing of knowledge was what caused the apostles to suffer martyrdom rather than recant.  They KNEW that he had been raised from the dead.  They had handled him; had seen the scars in his hands and his side, and no doubt the scarred back from the scourging.  Jesus told Thomas, "Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:29.) Then, John adds in verse 31: "But these (things) are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." What a blessing in discipleship to know that the life is through his name and not by our own works of righteousness.  Those that believe that their eternal security depends upon their obedience, and a continuation of it, must have some serious thoughts about their standing before the Judge of heaven and earth.  True discipleship can dispel such notions because true disciples are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise; they can say with Paul, "I am now ready to be offered . . ." (ii Timothy 4:6.) Paul said also, ". . . for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." (II Timothy 1:12.) Is this not manifold more than the blessings of those who have no hope?

     There is another area of blessing in discipleship.  The poet said it best: "The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above." In discipleship there is fellowship that cannot be found anywhere else on earth. one of our ministers, in his young and tender years, when he had felt the hand of the Lord and was burdened with a desire to preach the glad tidings, recognized the fellowship as one of the outstanding characteristics of the church. 

     He had been reared an orphan, but had married a fine young woman from a dedicated Christian home where church attendance and dedication to discipleship was a way of life.  In one of his first attempts to preach the gospel, he used Psalm 48:12-13: "Walk about Zion and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.  Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generations following." His remarks were primarily concerned with the towers, the outstanding, most visible attributes of the church. 

     He said that as you approach a city, the first thing that comes into view is the towers and it leaves an impression on you.  The first tower that he saw in the church was the fellowship; the love of the members one to another; that he had not found it anywhere else in his life.  To love and be loved is one of the most pressing needs of most people, and a life of discipleship is more able to supply that need than any other mode of life on earth.  True discipleship displays the unfeigned love of the brethren as Peter said: "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently." (I Peter 1:23.)

     Discipleship is the means to many, many blessings in fellowship. Jesus promised "houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life"; then how is it that it is not in material things? Because, Jesus was teaching that real values are in the spiritual realm.  He created everything that was made; it all belonged to him; yet he had not where to lay his head.  He had his priorities right (of course, they would be right because he was wisdom itself), and knew that there was no permanent satisfaction in timely and material relations and possessions.  He knew that what men are really seeking is peace; a satisfied mind and a calm spirit.  He understood perfectly that every earthly relationship would end; that men came into the world with nothing and that they would take nothing out (see I Timothy 6:7), but that through discipleship there would be compensation, in this world, for every loss.  Mothers in the church, brethren and sisters in the church, children in the church -- all of them to love and also to share their love with us.  When one comes to the full joy of discipleship, houses and lands lose their appeal to God's people.

     "Godliness with contentment is great gain." (I Timothy 6:6.) The song expresses it very well:

          "I'm satisfied with just a cottage below, a little

          silver, and little gold; But in that city where the

          ransomed will shine, I want a gold one that's silver

          lined.  I've got a mansion just over the hill top 

          (Ira Stanphil)

     But, according to the promise made by Jesus on the mount, when we seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, as before observed, all of our needs will be supplied.  God instructed Israel by Malachi: ". . . prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."(Malachi 3:10.)

     There is another blessing that comes to those who are truly walking in the way of discipleship.  This is the filling of the Spirit in their devotions, in their worship services.  There is no greater blessing that can come to a man than to be so overwhelmed with the presence of the Spirit that every earthly care is forgotten; that heaven is almost in view and as the poet has well said: "Oh had I wings, I would fly away and be at rest; And I'd praise God in his bright abode." This is one of the greatest blessings that can come to men while here on earth; however, it is limited solely to those who are walking as disciples; to those who have crucified the flesh and are living after the Spirit.

     More than this, it follows the instructions of Peter to make our calling and election sure. (II Peter 1:10.) Discipleship does not make our calling and election sure to God.  That is proven abundantly by the wonderful eighth chapter of Romans and first chapter of Ephesians, along with many other clear texts.  Our calling and election needs to be made sure to our friends and neighbors; to the minister who shall preach our funeral, and finally to our family and ourselves.  I have had to conduct a few funerals where I was almost tempted to say what was said by the old, godly, black brother when one of his wayward deacons passed away.  He said, "Deacon Jones done passed away, and we all hopes he's gone where we knows he ain't." I can never bring myself to say that about any man because, "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his." (II Timothy 2:19.) All that I have to guide me in my conclusion as to his eternal destiny is his walk and conduct; his fruit that he bore (or did not bear), and as a minister, I am thankful that I do not know, but that God does.  But, how blessed it is when one comes to the end of life's journey and his family looks back upon his life and can say with the poet, "The life he lived while here below, is proof that he's at rest we know." What a blessing to the minister who is to say the last words over his body if he has been a true disciple of the Lord.

     Also, it makes the disciple as sure as it is possible for him to know, that when his "soul shall quit this house of clay, and fly to unknown lands," that he will have nothing to fear.  The dying experiences and testimonies of those who "have left all" leave no doubt that their God gives them dying grace and often times such delightful anticipation that they can scarcely wait for their Spirits to be set free.  Some have testified that they were more excited about their journey to than about any trip they have ever made.  Some (as Stephen of old -- see Acts 7:55-56) have had visions of the eternal city, some have heard the music of the heavenly chorus, and I know of no case on record where a true disciple was really afraid when the hour of his departure came.

     The blessings of discipleship are truly manifold, and as Sheba said to Solomon: "Behold, the half was not told me." (I Kings 10:7.) One has to experience it to know the wonder of its blessings.

     How many families have had to suffer the heartache of giving up a loved one who never was willing to make a profession of faith, who would never take up his cross or acknowledge his Lord in a public manner in church.  The families of such people grasp for evidences of eternal life in the good works they feel the person has done, but deep in their hearts they have some concern as to where his eternal abiding place will be.  He may have been touched with the Spirit of God's grace and quickened into eternal life, but his loved ones do not have the assurance that he was elected and called of God.  On the other hand, if such a person makes a dedicated Christian member; if he shows his faith by his works (James 2:17), the family will have the blessed consolation that he will live again.  As they turn away from the bier, they will have that blessed hope, and those who understand God's amazing plan will have blessed assurance of something far better than this world can afford.

     Yes, they who are true disciples will suffer persecution, but remember what Jesus said about that: "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10.) What kind of blessing can there be in persecution? There is no greater evidence of sonship than persecution for those who would live soberly, righteously and godly, unless it be the evidence of the chastening hand of the Lord.  Our adversary, the devil, goeth about seeking whom he may devour, but he only works on the Lord's children -- they who are not of God are not bothered by him; he will have all eternity to torment them.  It is a great blessing to be persecuted as a disciple.  Think how they persecuted your Lord.  Do we expect to be treated better than him? And it was not altogether his enemies that inflicted the pain on him.  "What are these wounds in thine hands? Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends." (Zech. 13:6.) The Christian shall suffer persecution, but there are blessings.  Paul said:

          "We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5:3-5.)

     So it is a blessing to have persecutions and tribulations in this world.

     When one begins to weigh the cost of discipleship against the benefits, it may require a little "deep digging" to recognize all the blessings, but they are there in untold bounty.  In 1st Chronicles 10 and 2nd Chronicles 9, there is the story of the Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon.  She gave him precious things; things that he used in the temple.  In turn, he gave her all that she asked, and much, much more than she gave him.  You cannot out do the Lord.  When anyone serves as a disciple from the right motivation, he will truly receive manifold more in this time, then in the world to come, eternal life.

     This eternal life is not procured by discipleship, but the earnest of it, the promise of it, is received.  The statement is declarative and not conditional. Dealing with many of the texts in ones that deal with belief.  Most conditions, but because they deal sonship, it takes extreme care to truth." We must keep that in mind when the New Testament, especially the of them state facts and not with discipleship, as well as rightly "divide the word of truth.”