In my last post I started talking about our view of the cross. Paul said that we need to preach the Good News without emptying the cross of its power. Jesus gave some pretty clear instructions to His disciples about it.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
The key assignment was to preach and make disciples. Disciples are those who have chosen to participate with God’s ongoing work of salvation in their lives. Then, they are to baptize those who believe this message.
The baptism is secondary to preaching and making disciples. What are we to preach? The Word of the cross. That’s what makes disciples.
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:27
It’s clear that discipleship and the cross go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. Unfortunately, we have a lack of disciples these days. Maybe it’s because we don’t preach the cross as we should.
I Corinthians 1:18 says that the Word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing – literally, those who are being destroyed. There are many believers who are being destroyed because of our de-emphasis of the cross.
They are downtrodden, overcome by the world, and bound up by all kinds of sin and addictions. Our lives, homes, and marriages seem to have the same sicknesses as the world without Christ. The world no longer looks to the church for answers, because we don’t look much different than they do.
We wonder why we can’t get the victory. These verses make it obvious that without the life changing power of the cross, we’re fighting a losing battle. It’s time to turn this around and bring the victory in this area. We need to get back to the Biblical foundation for our lives.
We need to restore the Word of the cross. But, for some reason, we resist this work. We seem to have come to the conclusion that the cross is only for the unsaved. Why does Paul tell us that it’s foolishness to those who are being destroyed? Because the cross is for those who want to move on to maturity.
Literally, this verse tells us that the word of the cross is a manifestation of God’s power in His people. But it’s not for all. It’s the power of God to those of us who are continuing in the ongoing work of salvation in our lives. This is why we shrink from it. We don’t like the sound of the cross. When we think of the cross we think of humility, weakness and pain. Could this really be the road to power?
Jesus’ command to carry the cross is not a call for unbelievers to come to Him. It’s a radical command to follow Christ by giving up all other desires. To pick up the cross means to lay everything else down. To follow Christ means to ignore all other paths. This is a message that gets lost in our generation’s search to experience the best that the world has to offer.
I’m not talking about whether you’re saved or not. You can be saved and on your way to Heaven, yet ignore the call to the cross. It all comes down to discipleship.
Question: How do you define being a disciple of Christ?
© Nick Zaccardi 2014
Tags: Christ, cross, cross and discipleship, disciple, disciple of Christ, discipleship, good news, Jesus, make disciples, power, power of God, power of the cross
It used to be that if you were known as a Christian, it was considered a good thing in our society. Now, if you use that term, you’re labeled everything from a loser, to a hypocrite, to emotionally disturbed. Why is that?
It has a lot to do with how we portray ourselves to the world. We say things about ourselves that give hope to the world only to let them down when they find out the real story. I’m not talking about Christ, but about us.
I believe that if we truly portrayed Christ to the world, they’d have a different opinion of us. It’s obvious, even today, that those churches and individuals who walk as Jesus did are drawing many to the cross. What makes the difference?
A few months ago I wrote a post about what it means to be a disciple. You can click here to read it. In that post I said that disciples are more than just students learning what someone taught. They want to become what the teacher is.
This requires us to follow, come near to, experience, and live in Christ and His Word. It’s a deeper walk than many want to attain to in our generation. The reason I bring this up, is a statement I read in the book of Acts.
The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Acts 11:26b
It’s a very simple declaration. The first time the disciples were called Christians – little christs – was in a town named Antioch.
This was at a time when the church was walking in the power of God. Even though they were small and suffering some persecution, they were turning their world upside-down with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Notice what Luke doesn’t say. He doesn’t record that the believers were called Christians. It wasn’t all those who attended church. The disciples – those who were striving to live like Christ – were called little christs by the world.
This is why the world largely rejects our witness. They look at how we live versus what we say. They don’t see the same thing in modern Christianity that was evident in the early church.
I know, it’s too late to change our language now but, we can let God change us. If I’m going to wear the name of Christ, then I need to let Him work His plan in me. I want the world to see me in Him.
When we lift up Christ by our lives, the world will gain a different perspective of who we are. It will be easier for them to hear the Gospel. We need to follow the path of true discipleship.
If that’s already your heart’s desire – continue on and let nothing sway you. If the Lord is convicting you about it, then repent and move forward right now. Let the world see Christ through His church.
Question: How would Jesus minister to people in our generation?
© Nick Zaccardi 2014
Tags: abide, bad press, Christ, Christian, Christianity, disciple, disciple of Christ, experience, follow, hypocrite, Jesus, labels, loser, the world
I’ve been posting about discipleship. How far are you willing to go to follow Christ? The Lord doesn’t make it sound very convenient.
In my last post we saw that Christ said it involved picking up your cross and following Him.
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 14:26
Most people get tripped up by this verse because they don’t understand the usage of the word hate in the Scripture. This word has no emotional attachment to it. It’s just like the word agape, used to convey the idea of love. Hate is a choice rather than an emotion.
This word hate means a choice to not participate with. There are times when being a disciple of Christ means that you choose not to participate in every family event. Maybe it’s a baby shower or a graduation party that’s held on a Sunday morning.
Christ is saying that if you choose to participate with your family over the Lord, then it shows that you’re not a disciple. You might be a believer who loves God. But you have yet to choose the high road of discipleship.
Following Christ can be very inconvenient at times. However, if you want the same results as Christ, you must live as He does.
Jesus also makes the point that we must count the cost of discipleship.
“In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 14:33
If you find your Christian walk to be easy, then you’re not yet a disciple. The closer you follow to Christ, the harder your choices will become. But there is a bright side. The longer you serve the Lord, the easier it will be to make those choices.
It’s all about cultivating an attitude – I am nothing else but a disciple. It may sound like a tough road, but in the end it’s worth it.
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
John 15:7-8
The way of discipleship leads to a fulfilled life. There’s a manifestation of the power of God working through you. When you live at this level it becomes obvious to all those around you. Your life shows the fruit of the spirit.
It’s apparent that you couldn’t produce the blessings that you’re walking in. God is at work in you. That’s the ultimate goal. Living as a disciple shows God’s glory.
It’s that glory that will draw others to Christ. This is what the Christian walk is all about.
Question: How much is the glory of God worth to you?
© Nick Zaccardi 2014
Tags: carry the cross, Christ, cost, count the cost, cross, disciple, discipleship, easy, family, follow Christ, fruit, fulfilled, glory, hate, Jesus, participate, power
In my last post I talked about what Jesus said that it means to be His disciple in John, chapter 8. It requires us to remain in His Word. Our response to this truth is an issue today.
Even though Jesus was speaking to those who believed in Him, their response was surprising. They were offended that He said they needed to be set free.
“We’ve never been a slave to anything or anyone.”
“You’ve gone too far, Jesus.”
“I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.”
John 8:37
Jesus knew that they were believers. The problem was that they had no admittance, pass, designated space for His Word. Because they wanted to justify themselves, their minds rejected what Christ was telling them. Later in His teaching, Jesus explained why this happened.
Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.
John 8:43
He literally said that it was because they did not have the power to hear my logos. In order to let the Word of God work its change in our lives, we need to draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul even wrote about it.
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:14
It’s the Holy Spirit who helps us to hear God’s Word. But don’t get the idea that it’s an easy thing. The state of the modern church, pastors included – proves just the opposite. Think about what Christ taught concerning the difficulties involved in discipleship.
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:27
That doesn’t sound very convenient. Picking up something that points to the death of my flesh. Then, as if that’s not enough, I have to watch closely to where Christ is moving, and follow in His footsteps.
It’s no wonder that in the current version of Christianity, we use the word “disciple” to mean anyone who has received salvation. We need to get back to the radical discipleship that Jesus taught.
In my next post I’ll talk about just how inconvenient this is.
Question: How far are you willing to be inconvenienced for Christ?
© Nick Zaccardi 2014
Tags: Christ, convenience, disciple, disciple of Christ, discipleship, Holy Spirit, inconvenient, Jesus, power, remain, remain in the word, room for the word, word, word of God
God wants us to walk in the full rights of sonship as His children. This means that we’re walking in the authority and responsibility that comes with it. To get to that point, we must undergo the process of discipleship. What does that mean?
At one point in His ministry, Jesus was speaking to a crowd about why He came to the earth.
Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.
John 8:30
This was a good response. There were believers sprinkled through the crowd, listening to His every word. They were the ones that the Lord was focusing on as He continued.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32
Talking specifically to those that believed, He explained that faith is not the goal. It’s merely the beginning of the journey.
Here in America we’ve gone through the “Faith Movement”. Regardless of how you feel about it, this movement changed the entire face of the church. But there’s still more that God wants to do in us.
What comes next is that little word that changes everything. IF! Its conditional – “If you live, remain, dwell in my Word…”
The next step after faith is to live in God’s Word. Its living in the Word that makes you a disciple. There’s a difference in Scripture between believers and disciples.
When you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, you become a believer. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in you and you’re on your way to heaven. Becoming a disciple is a whole other choice.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.”
John 15:1-3
This is the result of discipleship. Once we know the truth – by remaining in His Word – we are set free from sin by that Word.
This is the foundation for all that we do in Christ. It’s by the Word that the power of God is manifest in us. What I’m talking about is the Word you hear as you’re intimate with Christ.
That’s how Jesus operated. By remaining in the Father’s Word, He had 100% results. The Lord could heal, walk on water, calm a storm, raise the dead, or feed five thousand. All this because He remained in the Word He heard from the Father.
Question: What will it take for us to walk in this level of discipleship?
© Nick Zaccardi 2014
Tags: believe, Christian, disciple, disciple of Christ, discipleship, faith, faith in Christ, know the truth, remain in the word, set you free, trust, what does it take to be a disciple
I’ve been talking about righteousness and the power of God. In my last post I looked at a healing that took place on the Sabbath day. The Pharisees were upset and began an investigation into the details of the miracle.
They interviewed the parents of the blind man who was healed to make sure that the person really was blind. They confirmed that he was their son, and that he truly was born blind.
The Pharisees then question the former blind man again. This time the man starts getting frustrated with them. He asks them, “Do you want to become His disciples? Is that why you’re asking so many questions?”
Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!”
John 9:28
These Pharisees then proceeded to ridicule this man and to malign Jesus. It’s amazing how emotional people get when you start messing with their traditions. Their point was that it was better to be a disciple of Moses then to be a disciple of Jesus.
Eventually the man reached the end of his patience and he told the Pharisees exactly what he was thinking. He showed a lot of insight in his remarks.
“Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
John 9:32-33
What a simple statement of this deep truth. He made the point that he had heard of people who lost their sight and then regained it back again. But a man who was born blind – his eyes have never worked – healing them was unheard of.
His statement raised a question that should resound through the ages. Jesus and His disciples are healing the sick. We see the power of God working through them. If being a disciple of Moses is so great, then why aren’t you healing the sick? If I were to judge by appearances I would say that the Pharisees are the ones needing to get closer to God.
This is where we find ourselves in the church today. We’re powerless, yet complaining about and maligning those who do walk in a degree of the Spirit. If they’re changing lives, seeing people healed and delivered from sin, then there are those who say that there must be something wrong. They must be off base in their theology. After all, my church isn’t that exciting.
What’s the truth of the matter? God is a powerful God. He desires to operate through His people. He hates sickness, sin, and destructive habits that hold people in bondage. It’s always His goal to set the captives free. If these things are not happening in the church, then there’s something wrong on our end, not God’s.
Question: Why is it common for believers to speak against those who operate in the power of God?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Christ, disciple, healing, Jesus, Moses, Pharisees, power, power of God, power of the spirit, righteousness, who's disiple are you
We use the term disciple very casually these days. Many are of the opinion that just being a Christian automatically makes you a disciple. It that the truth? Let’s see how it worked for the first disciples who came to Christ.
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.
John 1:35-39
There are some things that this passage can teach us about what it means to be a disciple. We see two men who were following John the Baptist. Then they were pointed to the Messiah. That’s when their lives were changed.
A disciple follows Christ. There’s no way around that. The word follow implies that they took the same road as Christ. Many teach that a disciple is a student. I’ve attended enough classes to know that not all students aspire to be like their teachers. A student wants to learn what’s being taught. A disciple wants to become what the teacher is.
A disciple comes near to Christ. Jesus asked these men, “What are you seeking?” Their response, in the original Greek, was amazing. They replied, “Where is your dwelling place?” Being a disciple is all about what you’re seeking. Many say that they’re pursuing God. But in reality they’re only after the things God can give them. A disciple simply wants to be near Christ.
A disciple wants to experience Christ. These men went to the Lord’s house and spent time with Him. Hearing about Him isn’t enough. What are you seeking? Facts and figures about what God has done? Or do you want to meet with Him and experience His home?
A disciple lives in Christ. This is what truly defines a disciple. Do you want to live in Him? Jesus made this point very clear. When most Christians are asked about it, they usually reply, “Of course I’m a disciple.” The real issue is; what are you seeking? Anything other than His dwelling place and you’re not a disciple.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:31-32 NKJV
Abide in Him. Let His word abide in you.
Question: What steps are you taking to be a disciple of Christ?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: abide, abide in Christ, become like Christ, Christ, Christian, disciple, disciple of Christ, dwelling place, experience Christ, follow Christ, His dwelling, Jesus, live in Christ, Messiah, near Christ, same road, seeking, word, word of God
How far into the realm of the excellent are you venturing? In my last post I looked at a sobering statement that Jesus made to His disciples.
“So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.”
Luke 17:10
If all you’re doing in your life and ministry are the things you’re supposed to do, then you’re unprofitable in the kingdom of God, according to the Lord. There are always things that we must do or that we’re expected to do.
The word unworthy is derived from a Greek word that means, not ought. The thought is that you are not what you ought to be. To break into the realm of the excellent you must break through the “musts” and enter into the “oughts.”
Those who are not only doing what they have to do, but have found a way to do what they ought to do, are considered to be walking in the excellent. When a person goes beyond the expected in his or her walk with the Lord we marvel at their spirit of excellence.
What does that mean to me? I must stop saying, “I ought to have…”, “I ought to do…”, or “I ought to be…” then with the next breath say, “But I have so much I need to do; I can’t.” When you develop the spirit of excellence, the Holy Spirit is now free to work in you to accomplish what wasn’t expected.
As excellence starts its work in you, you can tap into God’s “excellent power,” His “excellent grace,” and His “excellent love.” You’ll find out that God has all the resources you need to fulfill the call to excellence that He’s placed inside of you.
In II Corinthians 12:7, Paul talks about being the recipient of excellent revelations. He would not have received these had he not been walking in excellence. Galatians 1:13 says that before he was saved, Paul excelled at persecuting the church.
Everyone else was persecuting Christians in the normal way. Paul, however, went above and beyond the call of duty. He dragged people out of their homes, and if they tried to move away, he even tracked them to other towns. Once saved, He carried over this same spirit of excellence into his work for Christ. That’s why the Holy Spirit entrusted him with all the revelation that he received from the Lord.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
II Corinthians 4:7
The word all-surpassing is the Greek word hyperballo – excellent. This excellent power does not come from our own strength. Don’t ever take the credit for the excellence in your ministry. The glory belongs to God.
Walking in the spirit of excellence is one of the earmarks of the power of God in your life, showing that you hear from God and are obeying His voice.
Question: What are some of the marks of God’s excellence in your life and ministry?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: beyond the expected, Christ, disciple, excellence, excellence from musts to oughts, excellent, expected, glory of God, God, Jesus, life and ministry, Lord, ministry, must, ought, power of God, profitable, spirit of excellence, unprofitable, unworthy, walking in excellence
Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Think about it. Do everything in the name of Jesus. It doesn’t matter if it’s speaking, doing the dishes or driving the car. We must do it all in His name.
Many believers don’t know what this means. Doing things “in Jesus’ name” is part of a lifestyle of service to God. We need to see it as more than just a last line for a prayer. It means living our lives as if Jesus Himself were living through us.
We sometimes get the idea that Jesus only wants to be involved in the “religious” parts of our lives. That kind of thinking couldn’t be more wrong. We are, by nature, spiritual beings. We carry the spiritual with us wherever we go, whatever we do.
The challenging part is learning to cultivate the spirit no matter what the activity. That’s the goal of these posts. I want us to see our daily activities in a new light.
No matter what you do throughout the day, you can use it to strengthen your relationship with Christ. Take some time right now, and meditate on what it means, to you, to “do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Tags: Christ, Christian, Christian witness, disciple, Jesus Christ, Jesus' name, lifestyle, name of Jesus, service to God, spiritual, spiritual life, testimony
Genesis 12:1-3
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
I sometimes wonder what might have been running through Abram’s mind as he was listening to the Lord? These are some incredible promises that he was given. God says that He will make Abram’s family into a great nation. He also promises to make Abram famous and to bestow a blessing upon whoever helps him.
But the toughest part, at least for me, would be to step out based on this simple statement. Our first reaction today is: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t.”
We need to be more like Abram. We must stop assigning God the role of the Madison Avenue hustler, whose only goal is to get your money into his pocket by selling you something you don’t need.
God knows and wants only the best for our lives. His Word contains everything we need for an abundant life. All we need to do is to accept it as true. If we embrace God’s Word as truth, then we will not be afraid to step out on it.
Spend some time today meditating upon the truth of God’s Word to you. Maybe there are some things you have never obeyed because of fear. Use this day to settle the matter before God.
Tags: Abraham, Abram, abundant life, blessing, destiny, devotion, disciple, faith, God's faithfulness, God's will, promise, promises, trust
In my last post I started talking about our view of the cross. Paul said that we need to preach the Good News without emptying the cross of its power. Jesus gave some pretty clear instructions to His disciples about it.
The Spirit and the Word 