Live from Buffalo Creek. If you would, please turn in your Bibles to John chapter 8. John chapter 8 and verse 31. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, 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. We have been looking at different names and titles of God's people. And here Jesus gives us another title of God's people. Those who continue in his word prove that they are true disciples. Now, if you look back in John Chapter 8 or John Chapter 6, there were some people there who had been fed bread and fish in a miraculous way and they were following Him, hoping to get some more. And when He began to talk to them about the sovereignty of God and the fact that they had to partake of Him, the true bread of life, It says, and he said in John 6, 65, therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given him of my father. Earlier he had said no man can come unto me except the father draw them and I'll raise him up at the last day. And it says in verse 60, 66, From that time, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, We also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him and said, Lord, to whom shall we go? Listen to what he says. Thou hast the words of eternal life. Now there's a connection here. He is showing you who true disciples are. Who the true, a disciple, the Greek word is mahetes, something like that. It's M-A-T-H-E-T-E-S, mathetes, because it gives you this thing over the top of it. Here is what the definition of a disciple is biblically. It is a learner, a student enrolled in Christ's school of grace who are committed to following Him, following His example, His commands in order to be like Him. Now, these false disciples in John 6 were with him as long as he had the bread and fish to give away. But when all he had to offer them was spiritual food, eternal life, he as the bread of life, they went away. They didn't follow him anymore. They were not real disciples. They just, they wanted to go far enough to get fed physically, but not spiritually. So there's a huge contrast in Chapter 8 as he's talking to these Jews. He wants to make a point here. Listen, there were some other folks of the Jewish persuasion that followed me for a little while. They didn't stay. They didn't continue in my work. I love what Peter said when the Lord asked him, will you also go away? He said, who are we going to go to? You're the one that has the words of eternal life. That's exactly, Jesus is following up on that. And he says, if you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. And what a liberating statement that is. When you walk in truth as a disciple of Christ, learning of Him, growing in Him, abiding in Him, delighting in His presence, hearing His Word, living by it, that's where real liberty is. When we're walking in the ways of Christ, in the ways of God, Now, nobody is born a disciple of Christ. None of us were followers of the Lord. None of us wanted to learn of Him until our eyes were opened, until our hearts were opened, our will was changed. We're all born sinners. and continue in that willful wayward state until God is the one who enrolls us in the school of grace, in regeneration. He pays for all the tuition. The work of Jesus Christ paid the ransom price for our lifelong entrance into this school of grace and glory. And all we're called to do, all He requires of us is, I've got the words of eternal life, I've got the truth that will set you free, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life, you follow me, learn of me, grow in me, and you're going to be liberated. You're going to be rejoicing. You're going to be filled with joy even when circumstances are crashing in all around you because you're my disciples. You're going to learn how to get through everything, how to deal with everything because of my grace and my presence. I am so glad I'm in this school. And you know, most schools, people may go there, maybe they want to be taught by a certain professor or maybe a school has a certain field that people want to study. But all the students there are not required to love each other. And all the students there are not aspiring to be like the one who's teaching. Well, that's what's different about being a disciple of Jesus Christ. You see, Jesus says that the way that everybody in the world will know that you're my disciples, that you have learned of me, is that you're going to love each other. He said that in John chapter 13, and I think it's profound. The religion that, if you want to call it that, the way of truth and life and love in Christ is different than any other religion. Because the followers, they love their teacher, their master, and they love one another. Isn't that a beautiful thing that we are bound together tonight? The bond that we have is in Jesus Christ. We've come together to learn more about Jesus. And in that process, we learn also how to love one another. That blesses my soul. When I come and congregate with God's people, People who have been called out of this world, set apart. And here we are on a Wednesday night. And we have the privilege, the honor of praying to Almighty God. And it ought to thrill our hearts when our brothers begin to pray and begin to pour out their hearts. And we're knit together as one body, lifting up our hearts. He says here, John 13, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Implied in this is that we as His disciples want all men to know that we are His followers. that we are following the teachings of Jesus, that we are in His Word, keeping His Word, walking in the truth. Look at John chapter 15 and verse 80. It says another thing about these disciples. These disciples, if they're learning, if they're growing, they abide in Him. He says in verse 7, if ye abide in me, and notice again the emphasis here, and my words abide in you. Ye shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. So shall ye be my disciples. What kind of fruit is he talking about? Spiritual fruit. Who produces that fruit in us? Well, abiding in the Word and the Spirit of God. What is that fruit that ought to mark every child of God in some degree? If we're His disciples, then we have the Spirit indwelling and I believe that we bring forth fruit. It says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love. Herein shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another. That's a fruit. Joy. If you're saved, If you're abiding in Christ's Word, shouldn't your heart be filled with joy tonight? Joy unspeakable and full of glory? That your sins have been put away? That you're justified before God in Christ? That you're on your way to glory? You're walking in His Word? You have fellowship with God? Joy ought to fill our hearts tonight! and peace. I have peace with God through faith in Jesus and I have the peace of God that passes all understanding because He works in me both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Long-suffering. He changes the way that we interact with one another. Gentleness. faith, meekness, this sense of humble resignation to the will of God, to the Word of God, temperance, self-control, discipline. These are all marks of a disciple. They bring forth fruit. I'm not in favor of this new Christianity that easy-believism produces where you just make a profession and your life never changes. No fruit's ever brought forth. You just go on living like you always did. That's not abiding in His Word. When the Lord saves somebody, when they're His disciples, they follow Him. They hear His Word and they follow Him. They become yoked to Him. That's the mark of a true disciple. They're irresistibly drawn by the Master and begin to follow Him. They hear His Word, they follow Him, they're kept by Him, they're encouraged by Him. These are the marks of true disciples. Disciples have a fervent desire to know the Word of God so they can be more like Jesus. They continue in His Word in the quest to please the Master Teacher through obedience and trust. I believe that disciples are surrendered and submissive. They're willing to deny self in order to follow the Lord. Turn over to Luke chapter 14. Now, this proves Jesus didn't believe in easy-believism. He wasn't a proponent of it. It says in verse 25, Luke chapter 14, and there went great multitudes with him and he turned and he said, now think about this, what an opportunity. There's a horde of people following him, a multitude, just hanging on his every word. And he doesn't say, hey, you're all gathered here, do you believe in God? Oh yeah. Do you want to go to heaven or hell? Heaven will bow your head. I'll lead you in a prayer and you'll all be saved. Now, listen to what he said to him. If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Now you talk about something radical. What is he saying? If you're going to be my disciple, the love that you have for everybody else, It's not even comparable to the love you should have for me. In fact, it would look like hatred. You should be so sold out to the master teacher, to the one who gave his life for you, that you are willing to die to self. You're willing to resign your self-will, your desires? You're willing to crucify that in order to follow the teachings of Jesus? He says, verse 27, And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. They understood the cross to mean An object of execution, it was an object of death! He's saying to them, if you're going to be my disciple, you've got to put to death your old ways, your desires, and follow me completely. You know, not many people are preaching that today. Renunciation of self to be filled with Christ. Isn't that what Paul was talking about in Philippians chapter 3, where he said he counted all things but dumb, all things but lost, that he may know Christ and the power of His resurrection and have fellowship with His sufferings? He's saying, I've died to self. I'm dying daily to Him. I want to follow Him and know Him and walk with Him. And you talk about somebody who actually walked that talk? He was persecuted. He was stoned at Lystra. He was beaten with rods. He was shipwrecked. Nothing stopped him. Imprisoned. All because he was a follower in the school of Christ. In the school of grace. A disciple who took up his cross daily and says, I'm going to die to self and live under Christ. It says in verse 33, so likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Well, we're getting into some pretty deep waters now, aren't we? The idea is, If you are abiding in Christ, you are so reliant upon Him and walking by faith in Him, that even if you gave everything up, you know you're trusting that He'll provide. Paul really did it. Saul of Tarsus, Paul the Apostle. The teaching is surrender, submission, and the denial of self so that Christ would be glorified in our lives. And we're going to have opposition as disciples of Christ. Our biggest enemy, my biggest enemy, is the part of me that I've got to put to death every day. I die daily, Paul said. He's talking about his old nature. Now, a disciple is somebody that is learning of Christ. Isn't that what Jesus said to people who were concerned, laboring under the weight of sin. And there is no greater bondage in all the world than to be trapped in sin and darkness. Jesus said this in Matthew 11, 28, all ye that labor and are heavy laden. And I'll give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Notice. Be yoked. Take my yoke. Be yoked with me. And learn of me. A disciple is a learner. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest under your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Those verses have comforted many a seeking soul. They've comforted me, because I do believe that His burden is light, whatever He calls me to. in comparison to what the weight of my sins were, and He took all of those off of me. Are we committed disciples tonight? Are we committed to learning about Jesus, continuing in His words, bringing forth fruit unto Him. Surrendering ourselves so much so that it looks like we put to death all of our desires in order to serve Him. May God help us to really live out what it means to be a disciple. In the book of Acts, disciples were marked by people who believed on the Lord, who believed the message of the Gospel. And they publicly declared that by symbolically stating in their baptism, I am dead to my old way of life. I am buried with Christ. in the waters of baptism. And I'm risen to walk in newness of life, to learn of Him and abide in Him, even if it means persecution. And the book of Acts is a book of persecution of the disciples of Jesus Christ. Everywhere they went, they filled everything they knew about Christ They filled that area with the truth of the Gospel. And they were willing to lose their life as His disciples. Many did. I pray God helps us to truly abide in His Word and continue in His Word. I believe in perseverance of the saints. just as strongly as I believe in preservation of the saints.