A disciple is a leaner of his or her Master to become like him both in character and service. A disciple does not have a choice, the only choice is to obey the master. We Christians don't have a choice but to follow Jesus Christ.
MATTHEW 28:16-20(The great commission)
A disciple loves his or her master. Don't do things when your master is around, that is eye service.
1. A disciple should be loyal to his or her Master.
2. A disciple should be submissive.
3. A disciple should be committed to his or her Master.
4. A disciple should be zealous to his or her Master.
Need for discipleship.
1. It is a command from Jesus Christ.
2. it is a task to be fulfilled.
3. The Kingdom of God needs to be expanded.
4. Without discipleship you can't become like Jesus Christ to inherit His Kingdom.
Before one can become a disciple.
The new birth. He or she needs to be born again. John 3:1-6. In this Scripture, Jesus Christ was showing the Jewish leader named Nicodemus who belonged to the third party of the pharisees how he can inherit the Kingdom of God. Although Nicodemus was a pharisee, his name was Gr. in origin and means "victor over the people".
He was a prominent Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin ("a ruler of the Jews"). Nothing is known about his family background. He eventually came to believe in Jesus Christ, risking his own life and reputation by helping to give Jesus' body a descent burial.
Born again. The phrase lit. Means "born from above". Jesus Christ answered a question that Nicodemus does not even ask. He read Nicodemus' heart and came to the very core of his problem, i.e., the need for spiritual transformation or regeneration produced by the Holy Spirit. New birth is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the believer (1Cor.5:17; Titus 3:5;1Pet 1:3;1John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1;4;18). John 1:12,13 indicates that "born again" also carries the idea "to become children of God" through trust in the name of the incarnate word.
Deny yourself. In Matthew 16:24 Jesus Christ said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me".
To deny yourself also means to become born again which had already been explain in the previous paragraphs. One must decide not to follow the world but to give his/her life to Jesus Christ to handle. You must be broken and tired of living the life you are living now, you may be trying to get rid of yourself, you might be thinking it's too late, but Jesus Christ is telling you to come to Him and he will save you.1John 1:9(if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness).
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus Christ has opened the way, to receive your freedom from the world's destruction and disruption which is hurting you. He will grant you rest if you go to him, He will never let you down or leave you lonely. From the endless, fruitless effort to save oneself by the works of the law. This speaks of a permanent respite in the grace of God which he has given.
Take up your cross. "Cross" here signifies death. Jesus Christ died on the cross to save us from sin, to deliver us from the human nature and its pleasures. When Jesus said, "take up his cross" He only meant you should remember daily that you are dead to this world through Him who loved us. Romans 6:4-14, Paul emphasizes on the death of Jesus Christ who died for us so that we also can die with him and rise from the death with Him. How can we say we are dead to this world and still be living in sin? Then we are not really dead to sin.
As Christians we should always remember we are dead to sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How can the dead respond to insults, respond to the wrongs done to it? Certainly not, for the dead don't have any relationship with the living. That is how we Christians being dead to this world no longer have any relationship with this world.
Follow me. Jesus Christ simply meant be with him and learn from him. The paths He passes that's where you pass, whatever He does you do the same. In this manner you will begin to become like Him both in character and behavior.