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discipleship
discipleship Entries from January 1, 2010 - January 31, 2010
Monday's Meditation: Making Disciples
Monday, January 11, 2010 at 10:24AM Following Jesus includes making disciples. The path to full discipleship includes the joy of helping others to become disciples. Some have mistaken the “Great Commission” Matthew 28: 16 - 20) as a call to evangelism, but the Lord had in mind that we should also teach others to obey everything he commanded. Others have mistaken the Great Commission as a call to personal discipleship without regard to the welfare of others.
Of course, we should share the good news of Jesus’ substitutionary death--he paid the price for us to be reconciled to the Father. But the good news also includes the promise that anyone who turns to Jesus can be taught how to obey everything he commanded. How many of us have considered evangelism in the light of raising up obedient followers of Jesus?
It’s no surprise that our example is the Lord Himself. His proclamation that the Kingdom of God was breaking into the here and now also included “Come, follow me.” When we encounter these words it’s easy to think, “Of course, everyone should follow Jesus.” But Jesus of Nazareth was an unknown teacher from the hill country of Galilee; in effect he was saying, “I can demonstrate the good life.” His message was more than information, it included the invitation to imitate his way of life. The Apostle Paul understood the implications of the Great Commission when he boldly asserted to the Corinthians, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (I Corinthians 11:1) How many of us are comfortable in making the same claim: “Imitate my life, and in so doing you will learn how to become like Jesus.”
Our personal growth as followers of Jesus is not complete until we lead the way for others. It’s part of Jesus’ plan for us. Pointing to Jesus is not enough. Demanding obedience to God is not enough. Real discipling is about making a way for others to approach the Father. Jesus not only insisted upon obedience, he showed his disciples how it was done. May God give us the grace to do the same.
Salt & Light
Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 11:05AM Famous phrases are dangerous precisely because they are so familiar. After we have heard something a thousand times we are tempted to think we know what it means. As a father, I’ve come to understand that just because my children can repeat my words back to me doesn't mean they've understood what I meant. That’s the way it is with the words of Jesus: the famous ones contain more than we have imagined:
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5: 13 - 16)
Students of Jesus--his disciples--are salt and light. Like everything Jesus taught, we would do well to reflect on these words again and again. Here are a couple of suggestions:
Salt is local, light is far-reaching:
We think of salt as a seasoning, but it was first used as a preservative. Salt only preserves at the point of contact. Without touching others, we cannot be the salt of the earth. Light, on the other hand, helps from a distance: other people can find their way when light illuminates their path.
Jesus explained that we could sustain our neighbors and give them hope: that co-worker going through a divorce is preserved by your kindness. You can bring peace when your family is in turmoil. When you stay in contact with someone subject to depression and separation, you restore them to community. The worth of salt comes through personal contact. It slows down the corruption that is naturally in the world.
Light, on the other hand, helps from a distance. It helps others see clearly. Notice that Jesus called himself the light of the world just after his words helped people see their own hypocrisy (John 8: 1- 12). When Jesus shared a meal with Zacchaeus, he did not tell his host what had to be done: because of the light Zacchaeus saw what needed to be done. The light came to his house, and he took action. (Luke 19: 1 - 10)
Salt and light are for the benefit of others:
From Abraham’s time to our very day, we should receive the blessings of God in order to bless others. In the first century salt and light came at a cost, and so were used intentionally. Since we are salt and light, we must have value and should intentionally “apply ourselves” to the world around us. Back to Jesus’ images: salt came at a cost. It was sometimes used as a form of payment (we get the word salary from the Latin word for salt). The Lord applies salt where grace and preservation are needed. Likewise lamplight was generated by oil, which was also of great value. That’s why the one who lights the lamp places where it produces the greatest effect (see verse 15): “it gives light to everyone in the house.”
In our day, salt is cheap and commonplace: one preference among many seasonings. We give almost no thought to light because each electricity and light bulbs are commonplace. In his day, Jesus used the vivid examples of salt and light because they were valuable substances in everyday life. The lesson? Jesus sees his disciples as highly valued, and wants to use us to bless others--the entire world, in fact! The salt and light belong to him, will we let him use us as he desires?
The ultimate benefit is the Father’s glory:
Jesus’ final words here are not mere poetry. He wants to teach us how to shine in such a manner that God’s purposes are fulfilled. “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (v16) This is practical instruction with a calculated purpose: have we considered how others can recognize our work as the work of God? If our work simply wins praise for ourselves we should rethink the mission. This is no small task. Jesus commissions us to live, speak, and act in such a manner that our actions result in praise to the Father. The “natural” response of our obedience should be that God gets the credit. It’s one thing to win personal approval, it’s another to win approval for someone else. Here’s a worthwhile meditation: how can my actions win praise for the Father?
We do not need world-wide prominence or influence in order to fulfill the words of the Master. Salt and light are needed in every home: how many homes do our lives touch?
A Year of Discipleship:
Monday, January 4, 2010 at 10:53AM This week marks the one year anniversary of “Students of Jesus.” I’ll leave judgments of quality to others, but I’m amazed at the reach of a text-driven blog with almost zero promotional effort in just 52 weeks: in 2009 Students of Jesus had more than 2,700 unique visitors from more than 60 countries. It reached all 50 of the United States--who knew North Dakota had computers? I’ve enjoyed dialogue with new friends from Maryland to California, as well as interaction with readers on four of the five livable continents (com’on, Australia, join the party).
Please allow me to share just three of the lessons I’ve learned this year:
1). God gives generously and without reproach. After 40 years of walking with Jesus I thought I might have something to offer, but in just a dozen or so posts it became clear how small was my storehouse. Fortunately, God encourages us to ask for wisdom, and His streams are full, rich, and never-ending. His mercies are new every morning, and the scriptures assure us that his voice goes out to all creation day after day. We need only to be still and listen. A notebook helps, too.
2). I rediscovered the place of Scripture. My faith tradition emphasizes the importance of encountering God both practically and experientially. During this first year of trying to share these priorities, I have been reminded that there is one sure location to encounter God: his written word. While many Christians make the mistake of worshipping “Father, Son, and Holy Scripture,” it is equally true that some believers so frantically desire experiences with the Holy Spirit that they rush past the word of God. For those with ears to hear, the scripture is the Holy Spirit’s home address. Of course, He gets out of the house a lot!
3). Inspiration is the intersection of our faithfulness and God’s grace. God is looking for those who will step on the dance floor with him. He provides the music and He will lead, but we have to excuse ourselves from the banquet table and wrap our arms around him. We’ve been tempted to think that inspiration will sneak up from behind and wrestle us to the ground, when the most inspired moments come as our effort meets his kindness. His kindness is always available--what about our effort? Showing up day by day, ready to work, is the best way to find the breath of inspiration--whether you are an artist, businessman, or student.
Blogging is an exercise that combines both hope and vanity. It’s pure vanity to believe others would really care to read my words. But I hope you do.
