January 30, 2015

“Jesus went about among the villages teaching. And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two…” Mark 6:6-7

“The authority of Jesus reached its climax in the call to discipleship. This is something strange and unique, in contrast with this world around him. Rabbis had pupils, and revolutionaries had adherents. Jesus asked for neither pupils nor for revolutionary action, but only that (people) should share in his way.” Gerhard Ebeling (1912 – 2001) “For All The Saints” volume I

Discipleship, in the earliest understanding, was a mix of learning and doing. Jesus not only asked his disciples to pay attention, but to think, to act, and to step out of their comfort zones. Being a disciple has not changed in 2000+ years. Jesus still asks you and me to follow the way of discipleship. It is not enough just to learn from the teacher. Jesus expects us to put his teaching into ministry – it is not enough to love, we need to do loving acts. And it is not enough to pray for help, we need to “be” the prayer, to be the hands and feet of Christ in helping the needy. Or as Gerhard Ebeling wrote, the followers of Jesus are asked to “share in his way”. But to “share” should not give us the impression that we should be casual about our discipleship.

Here is what Martin Luther has to say on the matter in his writing “Concerning Christian Liberty”:

“I first lay down these two propositions, concerning spiritual liberty and servitude: A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every one.

Although these statements appear contradictory, yet, when they are found to agree together, they will make excellently for my purpose. They are both the statements of Paul himself, who says, “Though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all” (1 Cor. ix. 19), and “Owe no man anything, but to love one another” (Rom. xiii. 8). Now love is by its own nature dutiful and obedient to the beloved object. Thus even Christ, though Lord of all things, was yet made of a woman; made under the law; at once free and a servant; at once in the form of God and in the form of a servant.”

You see, for Christians, there is a value higher than our knowledge, or our length of membership in a church – and that is our responsibility and our accountability to our Christian brothers and sisters and to all others in being disciples for Jesus. For our knowledge of God is limited and finite anyway, and our freedom does not release us from our responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Christ in how we live, do business, treat one another and share the good news of Jesus. These are all a part of discipleship. We are bound to live within the limitations imposed by love. And that love compels us to “go and do”.

Every day you and I have the opportunity to “share in the way of Jesus Christ” in our discipleship. It is our Christian responsibility. What will you do today to “share in the way” of being a disciple?

Pastor Dave