DISCIPLESHIP
In John 8:31-32 Jesus tells us exactly; precisely; dead on the mark what makes a disciple and the end of what discipleship brings into our lives.
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
(NIV)
Be, think, and do what Jesus teaches, this is what Jesus is talking about when he tells us, "hold to my teachings." As we think, be, and do what Jesus teaches we are true disciples. As we practice being true disciples THEN, and only THEN "...you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." Knowing the truth is contingent upon being, thinking, and doing what Jesus teaches. Additionally, knowing the truth means being, thinking, and doing what Christ teaches without ceasing.
Jesus has more to say about being his disciple, John 15:8
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
(NIV)
(All italicized, underlined, and bold print words are my additions)
(All italicized, underlined, and bold print words are my additions)
Obviously, Jesus hangs a great deal on discipleship! True disciples bear much fruit, in the areas of being, thinking, and doing! The question we need to ask is
WHY HAS THE CHURCH ALLOWED DISCIPLESHIP TO FALL BY THE WAYSIDE??
There are more answers to that question then I've got room to discuss, so if you think you've got a winning answer for the question feel free to share it. I'd like to offer something more important than the question I ask: An answer for everyone no matter where they feel or think they are in their walk with Jesus Christ. I can't claim authorship of the solution, and I'm fine with that.
"In this life we cannot do great things.
We can only do small things with great love."
~ Mother Teresa
Somehow we've come to the idea, "I can't serve Christ because I'm not good enough, don't know enough, don't have a call to be a preacher, so forth and so on..."
DO SOMETHING!
Go to your church building and clean the bathroom
Go to a local soup kitchen or shelter and serve once or twice a week
Go to a local clothing program and serve once or twice a week
Go take elderly folks to church, shopping, hair or doctor appointments
Go take a single mother shopping, hair or doctor's appointments
Go help a single mother get the kids ready for school, church, doctor's appointments.
Find some small thing to do, serving others, and do it with great love!! When you fall in love with the small thing you are doing God will be ready for the next thing for you to fall in love with!!
One thing I can promise you is you will fall in love with serving God, and you will never want to stop. You will be so energized, so convinced of God's love for you and those you serve, and you will become absolutely convinced that God can overcome anything!!
Just Some Thoughts,
Lonnie
"WHY HAS THE CHURCH ALLOWED DISCIPLESHIP TO FALL BY THE WAYSIDE??" A great question and sad reality. Churches get the "Go forth" right, but somehow are blind to the "...and make disciples" part. I think going forth is the easy part, making disciples is the hard part because it requires pouring your life into others.
ReplyDelete"DO SOMETHING!" << Great advice for the Christian seeking God's Will. Just go do something.
Thanks Rodney, and I agree with you 100%. But the same is true for how Christians have dealt with homosexuals and other sexually broken people, prostitutes, porn users, child molesters and etc. Reaching the least lovable is hard, because we don't want to pour our lives into hookers or homos. The great problem, for us, is this only serves to break down the relationship between God and us, the Christians. When we fail to obey then we distance ourselves from God. I'm more concerned with the Christian/God relationship than I am about us not relating to hookers. We have to reach to the most broken or be in danger of a greater breakdown between us and God.
DeleteGrace and Peace,
Lonnie
Exactly, we show that we love God by keeping his commandments. If we can't keep his foremost command in loving others then we cannot say we love Him.
DeleteRodney for many years I was very angry with the Church, because I didn't see how broken the Christians are. Christians were hiding so well from each other and the world outside, and of course, worst of all, Christians were hiding from themselves. I really did think, "Well, you've got this great relationship with God, but you won't give it...WHAT IS UP WITH THAT??!!" The truth was and is the Church's relationship with God has been breaking down for a very long time, and that is precisely why Christians don't know what to do with gay people, hooker people, drug addicted people, and etc. Today, because I can see my own brokenness, and that of my fellow Christians around me, I'm not angry anymore. I just needed transparency. We don't really feel like condemning when we have transparency.
Delete