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Introduction: Much is said today about accepting Jesus as your Savior. We are told to just believe, put your hand on the radio or TV, etc.

A. The real question is not have we accepted Jesus, but has Jesus accepted us?

B. Have we obeyed the requirements of Jesus regarding salvation and becoming one of His disciples?

C. Have I obeyed from the heart the commands given by Jesus and the men who wrote by the direction of the Holy

 Spirit?

A. The Disciple and Obedience. First of all, we must realize that salvation does not come by our choice, but by obeying the commands of Jesus.

1. Levi (Luke 5:27,28) Are we too busy?

2. Jesus chose the way and paid the price for our salvation. Therefore, we must obey Him on His terms, not ours!

1. We must become like Jesus. It is a process of growth (II Pet. 3:18).

2. We cannot merely give lip service (Text). Jesus said not only are we to hear, but we are to obey.

a. Jer. 7:8-11 "Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal and go after other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘we are delivered’ to go on doing all these abominations?

Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, says the Lord."

3. The message is clear: Don’t call me Lord if you will not obey my commands (John 14:15).

1. Do we have the attitude of the Pharisee or the woman?

2. Do we say, "Lord, I really haven’t done much wrong, so I know you will accept me on my terms?"

1. Some wanted to follow Jesus on their own terms (Luke 9:57-62).

E. The Disciple and Counting The Cost (Luke 14:25-33; John 6:60-66).

1. Jesus gave His terms to His listeners—He wanted to see whether they were interested in the bread or the bread of life!

2. Jesus said we could not serve two masters (Luke 16:13). Have we learned this lesson?

3. Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18:18-23) had to made a choice. Notice Jesus’ reaction. What about us today?

4. Morality (Matt. 5:27-32). Jesus condemns immorality. We cannot practice it and be accepted by Him.

1. Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). This and other commands in imperative tense to express the urgency of the matter.

 

A. I would like to share with you a statement written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book, "The Cost Of Discipleship."

"Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves—the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism, church discipline, communion, confession, etc. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship…

Costly grace is the gospel that must be sought again and again, the gift that must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock…

It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."

Invitation: Matt. 28:18-20 "…teaching them to observe (keep on doing or practicing) all things whatsoever I have commanded you…"

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