Text:    Luke 9:18-26

Sermon in a prayer:  "As long as a Christian's blood has not been shed, he is             only a beginner as a disciple."

                             (Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, Danker, Greek Lexicon, page 486 on Ignatius' view                               of discipleship)

Two key decisions it takes to become a disciple—

I.       Deciding WHO Jesus is—verses 18-22.

II.      Deciding YOU are willing to die for Him—verses 23-26.

Now I begin to be a disciple.  And let no one, visible or invisible, envy me that I should see 

Jesus Christ.  Let fire and the cross; let the crowds of wild beasts; let tearings, breakings,

and dislocations of bones; let cutting off of members; let shatterings of the whole body;

and let all the dreadful torments of the devil come upon me:  only let me see Jesus Christ.

                                                     —Ignatius of Antioch, circa 110 A.D.