Have you ever planned a party or event just to have no one you invited show up?
Yes? Good then I'm not alone in that department. If your answer is 'no,' well, keep reading anyway.
Jesus gave his disciples a parable that featured this concept. It was an allegorical story painting a picture of the kingdom of heaven. I want to point out that the phrase kingdom of heaven is lowercase here, so it's not a physical place we can go to. It's more like a state of being. A way of life.
In Matthew 22 Jesus tells this great story about a king throwing a wedding banquet for his son. He sends out invitations and prepares the event. When the time came he sent his servants to gather those who had been invited. They refused to come.
So the king sent more servants. They were to let the invitees know that all was prepared, the food was ready and all that was needed was their arrival. The still refused to come and mistreated and killed the servants. (They really didn't want to go!)
Then the king says to his other servants, "Those who were invited did not deserve to come, go out into the streets and invite anyone you find there." So they went and brought anyone they found to the wedding banquet, good and bad, and filled the banquet hall.
Now the story goes on (follow the link above to read all of it) but I will stop there for now.
I know this parable is not directly tied to discipleship but it has a principle we can apply to that concept. When we want to disciple, we might want to reach out to those we know, those we would invite to a party. And there is nothing wrong with that. We should reach out to those we know. But they refuse to come, time after time, stop spending time trying to get them to come and move on.
Invite those you don't know. Reach out. Be bold. I know that it's easy to say that sitting behind a computer screen, but it's not impossible. To go with Jesus' parable, if you're the servant getting sent to invite someone to the banquet, you know it's going to be a good time right? Of course. So why not tell others about it?
The challenge is determining how to invite those you don't know. How to approach them and share with them what you know to be good. There are many ways to do so. Check out M28's website for more info and ways to do this.
And for those who refuse the invitation, remember this, we are not the king. We don't have the final say. So don't give up on them in your behavior. Keep praying for them. Keep showing them love and kindness. But you don't have to keep 'barking up the same tree,' for lack of a better expression.
Reach out to the uninvited. You may be surprised what doors God opens up in their life, and your own.
Grace, peace and hope
-Jersey
Welcome to the M28 Discipleship Blog. For thoughts, ideas and discussions about discipleship, organic life and following Jesus.
Showing posts with label Missional Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Missional Church. Show all posts
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Follow Me...
I mentioned in last week's post that I relate a lot of things to movies. So when I hear the phrase "Follow me," many scenes burst into my mental movie player. Joan of Arc in "The Messenger" crying out to the tired and weary soldiers, "Follow me and I will give you victory!" Or how about in the closing scene of "The Last Crusade" when Marcus Brody exclaims in joy, "Indy, Henry, follow me, I know the way. Ha" as his horse thunders out of a dry canyon.
But the one that sticks out the most is not the exact same phrase. But it's close. Come with me back to the early 80's. Granted I was just a tyke back then, but imagine if you will, a neon night club. Full of feathered hair, mega-bangs, and some of the worst fashion sense this side of a burlap sack. People are screaming in fear as a giant man lumbers through the place with an automatic weapon spraying bullets. The heroine of the story is trapped under a once badly dancing club goer. The giant is upon her, when out of no where a dashing hero in a trench coat jumps in firing a shot gun into the man. The giant staggers back and crashes through the window into the street.
"Come with me if you want to live..." says Kyle Reese to Sarah Connor.
That's right, I'm referencing "The Terminator" in a blog about Jesus. (Yeah, you can do that!)
Ok so what does any of this have to do with Jesus or discipleship...or anything? I'm glad you asked. There are many people, programs, and personalities out there that want you to follow them. The whole concept of Twitter is to get people to "follow you." So-called reality TV is about "following" the lives of who ever the flavor of the minute is.
But there was someone saying this long before all of this.
Imagine again, not a movie, but a place. It's warm, the sun is beaming down on you as you approach a lake. You hear the waves. The birds. Other people working and talking. You reach down into your fathers boat and pull out one of the nets you use to catch fish. You can smell the dampness in it. You and your brother get to work in the shallows. It's going to be a long day. Knee deep in the water casting and hauling. Hoping to get a good catch for the market.
A few hours later a man approaches you both. He looks at you and smiles. "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Without hesitation you look at your brother, he shrugs his shoulders and you both drop the nets on the shore and follow him.
You and your brother follow this guy along the shore. A while later you come across some other fishermen. These guys are in a boat with who you assume is their father. The guy you are following calls out to them, and they leave the boat and join you.
Ok, back to here and now. How cool is that?! Jesus just walks up to these guys, says, "Follow me." and they do. They didn't hesitate. They just dropped their stuff and went. Can you imagine that. Hearing the actual voice of Jesus call out to you and say, "Follow me." It gives me chills.
We can still hear the voice of Jesus today. He whispers to us when we see a homeless person who is ignored by the ocean of humanity breaking around him as if he were just a rock on the sidewalk.
follow me
He weeps at our shoulders when we comfort a friend who has just lost a loved one and is lost and confused about life, and death and hope. follow me
He cries out in a voice like thunder when we see a child hurt and abused. FOLLOW ME!!
His voice is all around us. Calling us to follow him. When you see the homeless, drop your pride and see the human being that no one else does. When your friend is hurting, cry with them. Drop the facade that everything is always sunshine and puppies. Leave your nets, leave your boats and go. Go to where Jesus leads you. It won't always make sense or be easy. But we have the promise that if we follow him, if we go...he will be with us always.
So listen to the voice of Jesus. Look for it in your daily life. He's there, calling you out from yourself.
"Follow me."
Grace, Peace & Hope
-Jersey
But the one that sticks out the most is not the exact same phrase. But it's close. Come with me back to the early 80's. Granted I was just a tyke back then, but imagine if you will, a neon night club. Full of feathered hair, mega-bangs, and some of the worst fashion sense this side of a burlap sack. People are screaming in fear as a giant man lumbers through the place with an automatic weapon spraying bullets. The heroine of the story is trapped under a once badly dancing club goer. The giant is upon her, when out of no where a dashing hero in a trench coat jumps in firing a shot gun into the man. The giant staggers back and crashes through the window into the street.
"Come with me if you want to live..." says Kyle Reese to Sarah Connor.
That's right, I'm referencing "The Terminator" in a blog about Jesus. (Yeah, you can do that!)
Ok so what does any of this have to do with Jesus or discipleship...or anything? I'm glad you asked. There are many people, programs, and personalities out there that want you to follow them. The whole concept of Twitter is to get people to "follow you." So-called reality TV is about "following" the lives of who ever the flavor of the minute is.
But there was someone saying this long before all of this.
Imagine again, not a movie, but a place. It's warm, the sun is beaming down on you as you approach a lake. You hear the waves. The birds. Other people working and talking. You reach down into your fathers boat and pull out one of the nets you use to catch fish. You can smell the dampness in it. You and your brother get to work in the shallows. It's going to be a long day. Knee deep in the water casting and hauling. Hoping to get a good catch for the market.
A few hours later a man approaches you both. He looks at you and smiles. "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Without hesitation you look at your brother, he shrugs his shoulders and you both drop the nets on the shore and follow him.
You and your brother follow this guy along the shore. A while later you come across some other fishermen. These guys are in a boat with who you assume is their father. The guy you are following calls out to them, and they leave the boat and join you.
Ok, back to here and now. How cool is that?! Jesus just walks up to these guys, says, "Follow me." and they do. They didn't hesitate. They just dropped their stuff and went. Can you imagine that. Hearing the actual voice of Jesus call out to you and say, "Follow me." It gives me chills.
We can still hear the voice of Jesus today. He whispers to us when we see a homeless person who is ignored by the ocean of humanity breaking around him as if he were just a rock on the sidewalk.
follow me
He weeps at our shoulders when we comfort a friend who has just lost a loved one and is lost and confused about life, and death and hope. follow me
He cries out in a voice like thunder when we see a child hurt and abused. FOLLOW ME!!
His voice is all around us. Calling us to follow him. When you see the homeless, drop your pride and see the human being that no one else does. When your friend is hurting, cry with them. Drop the facade that everything is always sunshine and puppies. Leave your nets, leave your boats and go. Go to where Jesus leads you. It won't always make sense or be easy. But we have the promise that if we follow him, if we go...he will be with us always.
So listen to the voice of Jesus. Look for it in your daily life. He's there, calling you out from yourself.
"Follow me."
Grace, Peace & Hope
-Jersey
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sent Out - The Rest of Us
Alright, the last post in this series.
In the last post we looked at Jesus sending out the 72. This time we're looking at his last sending out of disciples if you will. What has been called, "The Great Commission."
The scripture for this commission is found in Matthew 28, verses16-20. To set this moment up, here's a quick recap of what led up to it. Jesus has made is triumphal entry to Jerusalem. He teaches, he heals, and continues on as he has done for the last three years. He is then betrayed, arrested, put on trial, beaten, flogged, crucified, buried and raised from the dead! So his disciples, the elven remaining, and all the other followers have been on an emotional roller coaster. But he's back.
I think of things in terms of movies. This is the final epic heroic moment. It's Robert the Bruce leading the armies of Scotland after William Wallace is executed. Only better. Because the hero that everyone thought was dead...is alive! He's there telling his "captains," and in turn us what's next. So here we are in Matthew 28. Jesus tells the women who came to his tomb to sent the disciples to Galilee where he would meet them.
They weren't arguing over how communion should be served. They weren't debating what songs to sing at their next gathering. Their mortgages were not important. They weren't worried about what shoes to wear to the funeral. They were in fear for their lives. They had been following a man that promised them so much. They hung all their hopes on him. He was taken, and executed.
All hope was lost.
But it wasn't! Hiding in a room, waiting in fear for the soldiers to come for them. Then Jesus is there among them. He isn't dead. There's nothing to fear any more! He overcame death!
Oh. Right. He told us he would.
I love how in the gospels it's written something to the tune of, "but they didn't remember this until after..."
But that's a whole other post for another time. Point here is...their leader, our leader, came back. His death wasn't the end of his mission. It was just part of the plan. And it's not even the end of the plan. It's more like the end of the introduction to his mission. Ok disciples, training is over. Go do it. You don't need me physically with you. But I'll send you my Spirit to be with you until the end. Not just your end...but the end of the age.
And what does he tell them, and us, to do?
He tells them "All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me." He's in control.
Of everything.
So, Jesus has the power over heaven and earth. What does he do with it? He tells eleven guys, who are about to become for lack of a better word, outlaws, to make more of themselves. He gives them 3 instructions and a promise.
1. Go, make disciples of all nations (note he doesn't say "in all" nations, but of all)
2. Baptize them (disciples)
3. Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you
The promise: And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
It's so simple. But it's so hard. We, as flawed humans, want to tamper with what it means to be a disciple, to put regulations on being baptized, to teach beyond our obedience.
The great commission, is a charge to Jesus' disciples past/present/future to crawl out from under our hiding place, to leave the safety and comfort of what we know, to remove the mask of self-righteousness and just follow him.
After all that's what being a disciple is. Following Jesus, and bringing him to others.
And that wraps up our "Sent Out" posts. Please leave a comment or question below. Also, you can subscribe to the blog in the links to the right.
Grace, Peace & Hope
-Jersey
In the last post we looked at Jesus sending out the 72. This time we're looking at his last sending out of disciples if you will. What has been called, "The Great Commission."
The scripture for this commission is found in Matthew 28, verses16-20. To set this moment up, here's a quick recap of what led up to it. Jesus has made is triumphal entry to Jerusalem. He teaches, he heals, and continues on as he has done for the last three years. He is then betrayed, arrested, put on trial, beaten, flogged, crucified, buried and raised from the dead! So his disciples, the elven remaining, and all the other followers have been on an emotional roller coaster. But he's back.
I think of things in terms of movies. This is the final epic heroic moment. It's Robert the Bruce leading the armies of Scotland after William Wallace is executed. Only better. Because the hero that everyone thought was dead...is alive! He's there telling his "captains," and in turn us what's next. So here we are in Matthew 28. Jesus tells the women who came to his tomb to sent the disciples to Galilee where he would meet them.
16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them ina the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”There is no story on the planet that is this exciting! Can you imagine!? You're following Jesus, everything is awesome. He's given authority to heal, and raise the dead, and proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Then...he's arrested and killed. Everyone saw it happen. It's not a rumor. That had to be the darkest hour of the disciples lives.
They weren't arguing over how communion should be served. They weren't debating what songs to sing at their next gathering. Their mortgages were not important. They weren't worried about what shoes to wear to the funeral. They were in fear for their lives. They had been following a man that promised them so much. They hung all their hopes on him. He was taken, and executed.
All hope was lost.
But it wasn't! Hiding in a room, waiting in fear for the soldiers to come for them. Then Jesus is there among them. He isn't dead. There's nothing to fear any more! He overcame death!
Oh. Right. He told us he would.
I love how in the gospels it's written something to the tune of, "but they didn't remember this until after..."
But that's a whole other post for another time. Point here is...their leader, our leader, came back. His death wasn't the end of his mission. It was just part of the plan. And it's not even the end of the plan. It's more like the end of the introduction to his mission. Ok disciples, training is over. Go do it. You don't need me physically with you. But I'll send you my Spirit to be with you until the end. Not just your end...but the end of the age.
And what does he tell them, and us, to do?
He tells them "All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me." He's in control.
Of everything.
So, Jesus has the power over heaven and earth. What does he do with it? He tells eleven guys, who are about to become for lack of a better word, outlaws, to make more of themselves. He gives them 3 instructions and a promise.
1. Go, make disciples of all nations (note he doesn't say "in all" nations, but of all)
2. Baptize them (disciples)
3. Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you
The promise: And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
It's so simple. But it's so hard. We, as flawed humans, want to tamper with what it means to be a disciple, to put regulations on being baptized, to teach beyond our obedience.
The great commission, is a charge to Jesus' disciples past/present/future to crawl out from under our hiding place, to leave the safety and comfort of what we know, to remove the mask of self-righteousness and just follow him.
After all that's what being a disciple is. Following Jesus, and bringing him to others.
And that wraps up our "Sent Out" posts. Please leave a comment or question below. Also, you can subscribe to the blog in the links to the right.
Grace, Peace & Hope
-Jersey
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Sent Out - The Seventy Two
Last week I wrote about Jesus sending out the 12. That is the 12 disciples he called to follow him. This week we're looking at another time Jesus sent his followers out. This time those sent number 72.
Read Luke 9:51-10:24 (links are to the full chapters)
Jesus is headed for Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare things for him, but he was not welcome. So he kept going. James and John (I imagine at this point are starting to feel pretty full of themselves) ask if Jesus wants them to call fire down on the village. They've already forgotten some of the lessons learned from the previous outing.
They were told shake the dust of an unwelcoming town from their sandals. Now they want to destroy the village. Jesus also told them they would face opposition and difficulty. Again, they were ready to call down devastation at the thought of not being welcome.
Jesus had other ideas. He was about to send people out again. Other disciples, but not the disciples. Because the verse in most translations say "he appointed seventy-two others." Now there may be a slight difference from 70 to 72 others. Either way it was a larger group of people than the previous twelve.
This time they were being sent to towns Jesus was about to go visit. He doesn't specify "the lost of Israel," this time. Just the towns he's going to.
He again gives the same basic guidelines:
1. Go
This time he adds not to talk to people they meet on the road. Jesus tells them how to behave in the homes again. Looking for a man of peace, and allowing it to rest on him and his house. Stay in that house while there, eat and drink what they give you, "for the worker deserves his wages." (Luke 10:7)
The worker deserves his wages. How many times has that been used in Sunday messages, or to explain payroll for pastors, etc? When you read this does it seem like Jesus is establishing a guideline for his messengers to earn a full-time living doing this?
I don't think so. They are going to these towns for short periods of time, because Jesus is coming. They are there to get the town ready for his visit. They are the "roadies" if you will. They are only there briefly. Then they return to Jesus. While there, they are to heal, and proclaim the kingdom of heaven is near. They are to stay with "a man of peace." This person will serve the disciples while there in the way of providing room and board. After a few days they return to Jesus.
When you read the scripture, it's the very next sentence. Jesus gives his instructions, then "The seventy-two returned with joy..." (Luke 10:17)
Jesus instructs. They go. They do what they were sent to do. They come back.
And they were joyful.
Why?
They were casting out demons. That is what they took out of it. I probably would have too. Can you imagine? You and I are walking to a village, probably near the cemetery. Out jumps the crazy possessed guy. You stare him down and command him to leave in the name of Jesus. Suddenly the guy is back to normal. I look at you and say, "Dude, that just happened!" (No offense, but dude in my book is gender non-specific.)
Then we go back to Jesus all excited. "Jesus! Jesus, fill in your name here just cast out some demons! It was awesome!"
Jesus looks at us and says, "You should be more excited about having your name is written in heaven."
And we are humbled.
Jesus reminds us that no matter what we do, in his name or not, it's not about us. The mission was to tell others about Jesus, and proclaim the kingdom.
I've come to learn that that hard way. And I have to keep learning it.
Discipleship, mentoring, teaching, preaching, healing, and whatever else you want to add to that list, doesn't mean a thing with out Jesus. What we do is not important. It's our attitude, our heart, and motivations that matter.
Whether you lead a mega-church of 3,000-5,000 people or a group of 5, if it's about you it's all wrong.
So if you're like James and John and ready to call destruction down on those unwilling to accept Jesus, or like the 72, on a spiritual power trip...take a moment and pray.
Stop.
Right now. (I'm doing it too.)
Pray. Refocus on Jesus. Cause He is what matters. Not curriculum or lack of. Not fancy tech or flannel graph. It's about Jesus. The Word. Through him all things were made. You. Me. The very Earth itself.
Jesus sent the 12, and then the 72. He wanted them to be dependent upon him. They took nothing with them. Just the clothes on their back. Jesus told them it would be dangerous. Both times he compared them to sheep or lambs among wolves.
Sheep don't get lost or need to fear when they are with their shepherd. Jesus is our shepherd. He is with us wherever we go, whatever we do. Get to know his voice. Spend time with him in the word, in prayer, in worship, in fellowship with other believers.
Remember, they were sent in pairs, not alone. We are to help one another. And we go with Jesus.
Next Week: Sent Out - The Rest of Us
Read Matthew 28 and Luke 22:7-38
Until next time,
Grace, Peace and Love
-Jersey
Read Luke 9:51-10:24 (links are to the full chapters)
Jesus is headed for Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare things for him, but he was not welcome. So he kept going. James and John (I imagine at this point are starting to feel pretty full of themselves) ask if Jesus wants them to call fire down on the village. They've already forgotten some of the lessons learned from the previous outing.
They were told shake the dust of an unwelcoming town from their sandals. Now they want to destroy the village. Jesus also told them they would face opposition and difficulty. Again, they were ready to call down devastation at the thought of not being welcome.
Jesus had other ideas. He was about to send people out again. Other disciples, but not the disciples. Because the verse in most translations say "he appointed seventy-two others." Now there may be a slight difference from 70 to 72 others. Either way it was a larger group of people than the previous twelve.
This time they were being sent to towns Jesus was about to go visit. He doesn't specify "the lost of Israel," this time. Just the towns he's going to.
He again gives the same basic guidelines:
1. Go
2. Proclaim the kingdom of heaven is near
3. Heal the sick, drive out demons, raise the dead
4. Don't take anything with you
5. Rules for conduct in towns/homes
This time he adds not to talk to people they meet on the road. Jesus tells them how to behave in the homes again. Looking for a man of peace, and allowing it to rest on him and his house. Stay in that house while there, eat and drink what they give you, "for the worker deserves his wages." (Luke 10:7)
The worker deserves his wages. How many times has that been used in Sunday messages, or to explain payroll for pastors, etc? When you read this does it seem like Jesus is establishing a guideline for his messengers to earn a full-time living doing this?
I don't think so. They are going to these towns for short periods of time, because Jesus is coming. They are there to get the town ready for his visit. They are the "roadies" if you will. They are only there briefly. Then they return to Jesus. While there, they are to heal, and proclaim the kingdom of heaven is near. They are to stay with "a man of peace." This person will serve the disciples while there in the way of providing room and board. After a few days they return to Jesus.
When you read the scripture, it's the very next sentence. Jesus gives his instructions, then "The seventy-two returned with joy..." (Luke 10:17)
Jesus instructs. They go. They do what they were sent to do. They come back.
And they were joyful.
Why?
They were casting out demons. That is what they took out of it. I probably would have too. Can you imagine? You and I are walking to a village, probably near the cemetery. Out jumps the crazy possessed guy. You stare him down and command him to leave in the name of Jesus. Suddenly the guy is back to normal. I look at you and say, "Dude, that just happened!" (No offense, but dude in my book is gender non-specific.)
Then we go back to Jesus all excited. "Jesus! Jesus, fill in your name here just cast out some demons! It was awesome!"
Jesus looks at us and says, "You should be more excited about having your name is written in heaven."
And we are humbled.
Jesus reminds us that no matter what we do, in his name or not, it's not about us. The mission was to tell others about Jesus, and proclaim the kingdom.
I've come to learn that that hard way. And I have to keep learning it.
Discipleship, mentoring, teaching, preaching, healing, and whatever else you want to add to that list, doesn't mean a thing with out Jesus. What we do is not important. It's our attitude, our heart, and motivations that matter.
Whether you lead a mega-church of 3,000-5,000 people or a group of 5, if it's about you it's all wrong.
So if you're like James and John and ready to call destruction down on those unwilling to accept Jesus, or like the 72, on a spiritual power trip...take a moment and pray.
Stop.
Right now. (I'm doing it too.)
Pray. Refocus on Jesus. Cause He is what matters. Not curriculum or lack of. Not fancy tech or flannel graph. It's about Jesus. The Word. Through him all things were made. You. Me. The very Earth itself.
Jesus sent the 12, and then the 72. He wanted them to be dependent upon him. They took nothing with them. Just the clothes on their back. Jesus told them it would be dangerous. Both times he compared them to sheep or lambs among wolves.
Sheep don't get lost or need to fear when they are with their shepherd. Jesus is our shepherd. He is with us wherever we go, whatever we do. Get to know his voice. Spend time with him in the word, in prayer, in worship, in fellowship with other believers.
Remember, they were sent in pairs, not alone. We are to help one another. And we go with Jesus.
Next Week: Sent Out - The Rest of Us
Read Matthew 28 and Luke 22:7-38
Until next time,
Grace, Peace and Love
-Jersey
Friday, June 24, 2011
Sent Out - The Twelve
M28 is all about embracing and living out the "Great Commission." This was Jesus' ultimate command sending his followers out. But it wasn't the first. This entry and the next few will look at the different times Jesus sent out his disciples.
Luke and Matthew both go into detail about Jesus sending out disciples for the first time.
As mentioned in the previous blog post Jesus had more than the twelve disciples. Yet the twelve had a closer relationship to Jesus. It was to these 12 that he shared the meanings behind the parables. It was with these 12 that he shared life with for about three years. They heard his teachings and saw the miraculous healing he did everywhere he went.
They were the best candidates to be imitators of him.
They saw what he did. How he lived and acted. More so than anyone. So it was this same group of 12 men that he sent out the first time.
He gave them some very vague and very specific instructions. But before the instructions he gave them something else. He gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and heal every disease and sickness. Matthew 10:1
After that he gave them the instructions. Go to the lost of Israel, not the Gentiles. The lost of Israel could be anyone. The friends and neighbors of the disciples. Their family. Their former co-workers. Fishermen, tax collectors, the zealots and others. Or even strangers and those unknown to the twelve.
Next he told them to proclaim this message as they went, "The kingdom of heaven has come near." This made the disciples heralds or messengers. I like the definition of herald over at dictionary.com.
I know there are all sorts of scholars and teachers who can dive deeper into the heart of all this instruction and how it would have looked through the lens of that Eastern culture. I can't go into what the meanings of having your peace rest on a house are.
Without that, we might as well stay home. If we don't believe in the one who sent us, we aren't doing any good. Let's step back just a little and look at what happened right before Jesus sent out the 12.
Matthew 9:35-38
Jesus is going through town after town, teaching, proclaiming the good news, and healing every disease. He sees the crowds and has compassion on them. They were like sheep with out a shepherd. He then says to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
We see this similar expression stated in Luke 10:2. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. So what needs to be done about that...workers need to be found and sent. The harvest field is Earth, and it belongs to God because he is the Lord of the harvest.
We are the workers. The harvest is right there. It's plentiful.
We just need to go.
With faith in the one who sent us. Jesus.
What can you do? Today?
Well, the first thing you can do is believe Jesus. Next, pray for the workers. Then pray that you would see the harvest field around you, and begin to work in it. If you don't know how to do that, pray some more, read the Bible. Study Jesus and how he dealt with people. Live and love like he did.
Soon the M28 website will be up and running and there will be all sorts of resources available to help you live out the Great Commission. In the mean time feel free to contact me Jersey via email and I can connect you to people or info that can help.
Next week: Sent Out - The Seventy Two (Reading: Luke 9:51-10:24)
know the Hope
-Jersey
Luke and Matthew both go into detail about Jesus sending out disciples for the first time.
As mentioned in the previous blog post Jesus had more than the twelve disciples. Yet the twelve had a closer relationship to Jesus. It was to these 12 that he shared the meanings behind the parables. It was with these 12 that he shared life with for about three years. They heard his teachings and saw the miraculous healing he did everywhere he went.
They were the best candidates to be imitators of him.
They saw what he did. How he lived and acted. More so than anyone. So it was this same group of 12 men that he sent out the first time.
He gave them some very vague and very specific instructions. But before the instructions he gave them something else. He gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and heal every disease and sickness. Matthew 10:1
After that he gave them the instructions. Go to the lost of Israel, not the Gentiles. The lost of Israel could be anyone. The friends and neighbors of the disciples. Their family. Their former co-workers. Fishermen, tax collectors, the zealots and others. Or even strangers and those unknown to the twelve.
Next he told them to proclaim this message as they went, "The kingdom of heaven has come near." This made the disciples heralds or messengers. I like the definition of herald over at dictionary.com.
"a person or thing that precedes or comes before; forerunner; harbinger"
Forerunner. Harbinger. Intense sounding words. But that is exactly what these guys were. They went ahead of Jesus proclaiming the kingdom heaven was near. This message they proclaimed to their fellow countrymen.
The next thing Jesus tells them to do, is to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy and drive out demons.
Raise the dead?
I can just see Peter now. He elbows Andrew, "Bro, this is awesome! We get to go proclaim the kingdom is near, heal the sick, raise the dead, clean the lepers...whoa hold up. Did he just say, 'raise the dead?'"
I mean can you imagine that?! Try to imagine yourself in that position. It's your turn to go out. Jesus is sending you. All you've really done up to this point is listen and watch. Your first assignment is to go heal people, cast out demons, and raise the dead. That is steep learning curve.
And that is where faith comes into it. Jesus gave them the authority to heal the sick, and drive out demons. The Bible doesn't specifically mention raising the dead in the authorities Jesus gave them. But Jesus told them to do it.
If Jesus thinks I can do it...
Jesus goes on with a few more instructions. They were not to take any money. They weren't to pack any extra clothes or equipment. They were pretty much told to go as they were. Jesus wraps that instruction up with, "for workers are worth their keep." In my translation that means, "if you do well, people will feed and clothe you as needed."
He also instructs them how to interact with the towns and villages. Look for a "worthy person" and stay with that person until you leave. When you enter the house, give it a greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it. If it is not, let your peace return to you.
If you are not welcomed, shake the dust from your feet when you leave that home or town.
And that is essentially it for Jesus' instructions.
1. Go
2. Proclaim the kingdom of heaven is near
3. Heal the sick, drive out demons, raise the dead
4. Don't take anything with you
5. Rules for conduct in towns/homes
Then Jesus launches into a challenge for them. He says, "I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves." (Matthew 10:16) He then proceeds to tell them that they will face all sorts of dangers. They will be hated, persecuted. There will be turmoil in families because of Jesus and the message the disciples bring. Jesus tells them this and lets them know that they aren't greater than their teacher. He is alluding to what is to come for him. That, he too, will face persecution and punishment.
He then told them to not fear what may come. That it is better to fear God rather than people, who can only kill the body. He finishes instructing them, and he leaves. He goes to Galilee to teach and preach. He kept working.
The best thing I can take away from this for us today is faith.
Faith in Jesus.
Matthew 9:35-38
Jesus is going through town after town, teaching, proclaiming the good news, and healing every disease. He sees the crowds and has compassion on them. They were like sheep with out a shepherd. He then says to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
We see this similar expression stated in Luke 10:2. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. So what needs to be done about that...workers need to be found and sent. The harvest field is Earth, and it belongs to God because he is the Lord of the harvest.
We are the workers. The harvest is right there. It's plentiful.
We just need to go.
With faith in the one who sent us. Jesus.
What can you do? Today?
Well, the first thing you can do is believe Jesus. Next, pray for the workers. Then pray that you would see the harvest field around you, and begin to work in it. If you don't know how to do that, pray some more, read the Bible. Study Jesus and how he dealt with people. Live and love like he did.
Soon the M28 website will be up and running and there will be all sorts of resources available to help you live out the Great Commission. In the mean time feel free to contact me Jersey via email and I can connect you to people or info that can help.
Next week: Sent Out - The Seventy Two (Reading: Luke 9:51-10:24)
know the Hope
-Jersey
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Discipleship 101 - Wash, Rinse, Repeat
Disciple.
That one word summons up so many different images and meanings. It makes me think of Peter, James, John and the other nine men who followed Jesus about. Fishermen, tax collectors, the necessary and the unwanted.
It also makes me think of the crowds that followed Jesus. They were also referred to as his disciples. After rereading some of the gospels recently I now see this larger crowd of people that continually followed him. Not the five thousand mind you, but more than just the twelve. There were at least a few women as Luke tells us in his gospel. (Luke 8:1-3)
“The Twelve were with him, and also some women…”
There are so many other images that disciple paints in my mind. Some good some bad. The difference is what teacher the disciple is following.
The word disciple comes from a Latin word, discipulus, meaning “pupil,” This word came from discipere. Broken down dis meaning apart, asunder, separate; capere to take, grasp, lay hold of. So a disciple is one who takes hold of things that are apart. They grasp things that are not together. One who learns. A student.
So what is discipleship? The act of learning or teaching depending on which side of the proverbial desk you are sitting on.
Jesus was called “rabbi” or teacher. His followers were called disciples. His followers 2,000 years ago, and those who follow him today.
Disciples.
You. Me. That smelly guy at the end of the counter you passed entering a local diner for breakfast. That guy in the shiny car and tailored suit. The waitress I didn’t leave a tip for because she didn’t refill my Dr. Pepper enough.
That’s the incredible thing about being a disciple of Jesus. Anyone, anywhere could be one. God doesn’t just teach people who walk into the halls of what is called a “church.” Disciples can be found anywhere. There is no one centralized place people go to become disciples of Jesus.
Disciples can learn in a house, a coffee shop, a tattoo parlor, a sun washed beach, a storm shattered house in the US Mid-West, a street corner in Europe, an Aids deathbed in Africa.
It’s not the place, the clothing, or the trappings that make a disciple. It’s a soul yearning for a connection to it’s maker. A heart ready to learn, grow, change, and give. Discipleship is not restricted by age, wealth, social status, education, gender or what kind of music you listen to.
Jesus taught fishermen, tax collectors, people who had been demon possessed, rich, poor, young, old, men and women, Jews and Gentiles. Israel and the Jewish people were his entry point, and when he left he sent his disciples to the world. To continue on what he started. To teach as he had taught and carry it into all the world.
We could get into all sorts of depth about the different meanings behind the four gospel commissions, and how they contrast or relate to the Creation command, but there are others who know more about that, and have already written about it. (ie Jonathan Dodson - http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001678.cfm)
What I find to be the same in all of them, and at the very core of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is that we are to “go.” No where does it say, “stay where you are and build up programs and palaces of worship and attract people to Christ.” No. Jesus tells us to go. For some, that is down the street to mentor and disciple a neighbor. For others it’s traveling to prisons, or schools. For others still it’s getting on a plane and going to another country.
The Commission
There is a physicality and movement to the command “go.” There is nothing sedentary about it. The command is simple. Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)
18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Go. Make. Baptize. Teach.
Verbs. Actions. Jesus’ last words to his disciples, his students, were a call to action. Some were still struggling with belief of what had happened after his death. Yet he tells them to go out. They have believed, in faith. Now they were to teach, in faith.
I’ve heard it said that the best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else.
Jesus’ students are told to go into the rest of the world and told to; wash, rinse, repeat.
Step 1:
Go, move, leave where you are to be somewhere else. Next door, or around the world.
Step 2:
Make students. People who will grasp things that are separate. Like Sin and Grace.
Step 3:
Baptize them in the name of God: The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Step 4:
Teach them to obey, follow, adhere to, the commands Jesus gave. Including, Go.
Step 5:
Repeat. Because 11 people didn’t make disciples of all nations on the first go.
This isn’t meant to be a formula or code to follow. I’m just breaking down the verbs of the Commission.
Discipleship
Discipleship is not a 3 week class held on Sunday mornings for 30 to 45 minutes. It’s not a book with a clever plan on “how to.” As a disciple of Jesus we never stop learning or growing. There is no graduation or achievement levels. There is no standardized testing, with multiple choice and No. 2 pencils.
Discipleship is a way of living. It is continual learning and growing in our relationship with Jesus, and others whether they share the same faith or not.
There are many books and teachings about how to disciple. I won’t really recommend one over another partially because I haven’t read enough of them to offer opinions on the methods.
What I will tell you is this, discipleship is both simple and complex. The way to do discipleship can be very simple and uncomplicated. But there will be complex conversations and questions. And the very nature of what is being taught is complicated.
Jesus was our example of how to teach disciples. He pulled it off with out a single youtube video, powerpoint presentation, sporting arena, or even a megaphone. He taught from his heart what he knew the Father wanted us to know. It’s all laid out for us in scripture.
Making a disciple requires very few physical things. A teacher, a student and a Bible. It can be that simple. There also needs to be a desire to learn and grow in both parties, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s the Spirit that makes the growth happen. It’s the Spirit that opens up the complexities and mysteries of the Word to the hearts of both teacher and student.
Teach the Word. Not traditions. As one teaching, you must be as deep or deeper in the Word than the one being taught. Dive in. Breathe deep the fragrance of life that springs from it’s pages. Teach others to be like Jesus by living the way Jesus lived.
You must first be a disciple if you want to make a disciple.
To be a disciple of Jesus is to take hold of the grace and promises of God and join them to what is separate from them, our sinful nature, our hearts, minds and souls. This is only possible because of what Jesus accomplished for us through his death and resurrection.
Jesus didn’t wait for humanity to come to Heaven. He left everything he was took on the pain and suffering of being human so he could be with us. He wanted to be with us so he could teach us how to live, and love, and serve the Father.
He came to us.
And so those who follow him, must also go, make, baptize, teach…repeat.
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