PERSONAL DISCIPLINE

PERSONAL DISCIPLINE: FOLLOWING ONE TO LEAD MANY

Matthew 16:21-28
Introduction: Jesus Christ, the greatest leader, chose twelve men to follow him for more than three years. They were His disciples. They were men who chose to discipline their lives in accordance with the teachings of the Lord.
Of the twelve, eleven were developed into men who “turned the world upside down” for their leader. They followed Him and then lead many others.
As leaders, we must understand that one cannot take others where he has not yet been himself. The aspiring leader must learn personal discipline in order to become the type of individual God can use. Jesus himself knew the importance of discipleship and He taught a great discourse on the subject in Matthew 16. At the foundation of His teaching on discipleship we find the idea of personal discipline. His call, “Follow me”. His command, “Deny yourself and take up your cross.”

Christian leaders must grasp the concept of discipleship for two reasons.
1. Personal Development – It is the process God uses to develop the leader individually.
2. People Development – It is the program God uses to develop other leaders within the local church.

I. UNDERSTANDING DISCIPLESHIP – The Principles of Discipline
A. A Purpose: The Opportunity of Discipleship – Matthew 16:21
1. Personal discipline will not begin until the individual defines a distinct purpose for conforming his life to
the teachings of the Word of God.
2. An individual’s purpose is spoken of in the Bible as the will of God for one’s life.
3. In Matthew 16:21, Jesus began to show His disciples what God’s will for His own life was. He was to
go to Jerusalem. Jesus Christ was teaching them by revealing His own commitment to God’s will.
4. There are many verses which refer to the will of God. Below are a few of these.
a. Psalms 143:10 – “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the
land of uprightness.” Notice how the will of God here is connected with teaching or discipleship.
b. Romans 12:1-2 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what
is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Note here that the will of God is connected
with sacrifice. Matthew 16:24 gives this idea also with words “take us his cross”.
c. I Thessalonians 4:3-4 – “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain
from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and
honour;” Here the will of God is connected with personal denial and discipline.
5. The believer must see the big picture of God’s will in order to develop a “why” for discipline. If there is
no desire or aspiration, there will be no commitment to daily discipline.
B. A Process: The Operation of Discipleship – Matthew 16:21
1. The Suffering of the Flesh – “suffer many things” – There are things we must endure.
a. The path of disciples leads one to the suffering of the cross. Jesus knew that the will of God involved
persecution and ultimately His death. In this verse, He begins to prepare the disciples for the suffering
that lay ahead as He would go to Jerusalem.
b. Like Christ, the believer faces a life of suffering and persecution.
c. II Thessalonians 1:4-5 – “So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience
and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the
righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also
suffer:”
d. I Peter 4:13-14 – “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his
glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of
Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken
of, but on your part he is glorified.”
e. The blessings of such sufferings is that we too shall reign with Him. II Timothy 2:12 – “If we suffer,
we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:”
2. The Crucifixion of the Flesh – “and be killed” – There are things we must die to.
a. Paul taught that we are crucified with Christ. Romans 6:11-12 – “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves
to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore
reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
b. Our salvation produces sanctification. Galatians 5:24-25 – “And they that are Christ's have crucified
the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
c. We can never experience the power of the Spirit-filled life until we crucify the flesh. Galatians 6:14 –
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is
crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
d. Colossians 3:5a – “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;”
3. The Resurrecting Power of the Spirit – “and be raised again the third day” – There is power to live!
a. The crucifixion of Christ gave opportunity for His resurrection. The same is true of the believer. Our
death to self opens the door of life in the Spirit.
b. Galatians 5:24-25 – Crucifying the flesh in verse 24 is followed by walking in the Spirit in verse 25.
c. Ephesians 4:22-24 – “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is
corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on
the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
d. Colossians 3:8-10 – “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy
communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with
his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him:”
C. A Problem: The Opposition of Discipleship – Opposed by Religious Persons – Matthew 16:22
1. In the preceding verses, Peter recognized Christ as Saviour, but now denied Him as Leader.
2. Peter did not like the picture Christ painted of doing the will of God. No doubt, Peter and the other
disciples were ready to usher in the Kingdom Age and stand with Jesus by His throne.
3. A great deal of opposition will come from those closest to the disciple of Christ. Peter was well
intending in his comments, but he totally misunderstood the ministry of Jesus.

II. UNDERTAKING DISCIPLESHIP – The Price of Discipline – Matthew 16:24
A. The Desire of the Disciple – “Come after me”
1. This command show us that there must be a decision to go after Christ. One must be willing to go.
2. Notice also is a personal command, “If any man”. The desire to follow Christ is not for a group of
people or family. It is for the individual who desires a closer walk.
3. The words “come after” represent a twofold attitude action and action.
a. An attitude and action of separation from the world.
b. An attitude and action of submitting to the leadership of Christ.
B. The Denial of the Disciple – “Deny himself”
1. The term deny here means to utterly disown one’s self. It speaks of abandonment of one’s own desire,
aspirations, and purposes. Discipleship is built upon self-denial.
2. A great example of self-denial is Queen Esther. She forfeited her own security for a greater cause.
3. Spiritual discipline involves pain. The flesh is a powerful foe and it seeks to control the believer. Paul
knew this and thus stated, “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection…”
4. Romans 8:13 – “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the
deeds of the body, ye shall live.”
5. There are things that are not necessarily evil, but they hinder or are not helpful. I Corinthians 6:12 – “All
things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient:”
C. The Death of the Disciple – “take up his cross”
1. This action is also of a personal nature. There is a specific cross that each believer must bear.
2. Taking up the cross signifies our willingness to follow the example of Jesus. I Peter 4:1a – “Forasmuch
then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind:”
3. Paul experienced physical suffering as part of his cross for Christ. II Corinthians 4:10 – “Always bearing
about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our
body.”
4. Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and
the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself
for me.” Life comes from the crucifixion of the believer.
D. The Direction of the Disciple – “follow me”
1. Follow – The term refers to walking with one, stepping is one’s steps, remaining on the same path.
2. The early believers were given the name of “The Way”. They so mimicked the actions of Christ and
adhered so closely to His doctrine that the were called “Christians” in Antioch.
3. The disciples of Christ bore His characteristics. The mark of discipleship is conformity to the teacher.
4. Acts 4:13 – “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were
unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with
Jesus.” What a testimony! Jesus was absent but His disciples were carrying on His work.

III. THE URGENCY OF DISCIPLESHIP – The Priority of Discipline – Matthew 16:25-28
A. Urgent Because of a Restricted Life
1. Life is restricted by time
a. Jesus only had 33 years on earth. His time to do the will of God was limited. In John 9:4, Jesus
made this fact clear when He stated, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the
night cometh, when no man can work.”
b. As disciples we must have a sense of urgency concerning time. In two places Paul admonished the
believer to walk “redeeming the time.”
c. Romans 13:11-14 – “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for
now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us
therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly,
as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and
envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts
thereof.”
2. Life is restricted by choices
a. Jesus clearly taught in Matthew 16:25 that we can choose to save or lose our lives.
b. These verses are often used to in salvation messages, but the context of the passage deals with
success and failure in the life of the believer.
c. Our choices lead to clear results. As disciples we must be aware that our decisions do have
consequences.
d. God will not choose for us, but He will place upon us the reward or loss of our decisions.
B. Urgent Because of a Rewarded Life – Matthew 16:27
1. Jesus will return as Judge. Notice He will personal rewards to “every man”.
2. The measure of a man’s rewards will be based “according to his works”.
3. II Corinthians 5:9-11 – “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of
him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things
done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the
terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made
manifest in your consciences.”
4. II Corinthians 4:4-5 – “For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth
me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light
the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man
have praise of God.”