THE FIRST LESSON IN DISCIPLESHIP - 1

WBS.004

DISCIPLESHIP 101

THE FIRST LESSON IN DISCIPLESHIP -  I

Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

A person who embraces the teaching of one and passes that instruction on to others is called a disciple.  That which we call “the Great Commission” (Matthew 28:19-20) charged the apostles with the responsibility of making disciples.  Today, however, the church seems content only to make believers.

Discipleship is predicated upon a relationship.  A disciple is known by the master he obeys.  No master---no discipleship. The masses of church-goers are divided into three primary camps:

1.    Those who attend church and never open a Bible and never attend a Bible study.  They basically warm a pew on Sunday and that is the sum total of their “Christian” experience.

2.    Those who attend church at every meeting opportunity available.  They genuinely pay attention to the sermon, surround themselves with friends comprised of members of their church; and they spend at least a few minutes reading the Scriptures on their own during the week.

3.    Those who attend church regularly and who aggressively study the Scriptures.  They may have special teachers they follow on television or in camp meetings and conventions.  They may focus on a particular venue of teachers, i.e., faith teachers, healing ministers, evangelical preachers, and Bible study teachers.

Do you notice what is missing from these three categories?  Where is the one who is known by his servanthood to Master Yahushua?  All three of the above categories of church-goers are “believers.”  They all subscribe to the Christian message and “culture,” but none would appear to have bowed their knees to a master.  Even the most aggressive student of the Scriptures is content to learn from multiple sources, retaining total control of his own life. 

When one chooses to learn a form of martial arts, one willingly takes on a master; and without resistance, obeys everything the master says to do because the objective is to become as proficient as the master at what he knows and what he does.  The instruction of the master is not questioned because a student does not necessarily understand the reasons behind the instruction until he has matured under his master’s teaching. I am reminded of a scene in the movie, The Karate Kid.  The aging master told his young student to wax his cars.  He showed him how to rub in the wax with a clock-wise circular motion with the right hand, then remove the wax to a fine polished shine with a counter-clockwise circular motion with the left hand.  “Wax on.  Wax off.”  The student did this begrudgingly thinking his master was taking advantage of him.  After waxing the cars, the master showed him that those two moves with his hands were fundamental in karate, and the exercise had provided him with the muscle memory to begin to develop the skill. 

Until one embraces a master, one may not be called a disciple.  Simply studying martial arts or any subject matter on one’s own, even if one has a singular source for information does not make one a disciple. 

Enter…the yoke.

Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

A yoke is an implement used to harness a beast and remove from it the option of self-will in order to accomplish a task that is desired by the owner of the yoke.  Notice that this yoke is forced upon no one.  Messiah said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me.”  It is for you to choose Messiah to be your Master and you to be his servant; and to willingly take his yoke upon you.  Once inside the yoke, you are no longer your own.  You no longer have the right of self-determination.  Your life is given to fulfill the purpose of the one holding the reins. 

2 Corinthians 5:14  For the love of Messiah constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

1 Corinthians 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify Elohim in your body, and in your spirit, which are Elohim’s.

1 Corinthians 7:23  Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Messiah hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of Elohim.

The truth of the gospel is that Messiah paid the penalty for our sins.  He died for us, in our place.  We can recognize that he has purchased us with his blood and embrace his yoke, now, and become his disciple and live the remainder of our life as his possession; or we can reject his yoke and merely believe in what he has done for us, and live our lives according to our own will. 

Knowing Messiah’s call to take up his yoke and learn of him and refusing to succumb to it comes with a price.

Acts 9:5, 26:14 "…it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."

This was the Master’s message to Paul on the road to Damascus. The "pricks" refers to boards that were placed upon a plow behind the horse, mule or donkey that was yoked into the plow.  The boards had nails driven through them so that the sharp points (the pricks) extended through the side facing the animal.  When the animal would kick in resistance to pulling the plow, its hooves would strike against the pricks which would inflict pain.  It was a simple device installed to overcome the animal's rebellion against performing the task for which it was yoked.

Once one embraces the yoke of the Master, there is no more provision for resistance against the will of the Master without experiencing his discipline.  All such rebellious exercise only hurts us and diminishes our reward. Messiah explained this taking up his yoke in another way:

Matthew 16:24 Then said Yahushua unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

26  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

27  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Crucifixion was a statement.  It was a death penalty that communicated the guilty one was cursed of Elohim.  He was unworthy even to be put to death within the city.  When we take up the cross to come after Yahushua, we acknowledge the justness of the Father’s condemnation and sentence of death upon our natural lives.  It serves as ample motivation to “deny” ourself the luxury of following our own will.

Taking upon the yoke of Yahushua establishes the discipleship relationship.  The student bows to his Master and accepts servanthood as the cost of learning from the Master.  So, what is the first lesson of discipleship?

Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

The first thing we are to learn when we come under the yoke of Messiah is his meek and lowly heart.  This we will discuss next time.