While teaching children, I led them to look at our calling as Christians. We recalled the Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20. In it, Jesus tells us, His followers, to "go make disciples.” Jesus does not say, “Go save souls” or “Go hit them on the head with the Bible.” Many of us see that as a command to go out and do. If we go and do in our own strength or lose sight of the source of our calling, going and doing becomes a task and becomes wearying. We cannot go and make disciples unless we are disciples ourselves. The challenge is to have a relationship with Jesus every day, gain sustenance from Him, hear His command, and see as He sees the children He created and wants to follow Him, too. If we focus too much on our calling, our attention upon God wanes. We lose sight of the source of our strength and our heart's desire. We become weary. This loss of strength from inattentiveness to Jesus is not the same as wearying from running the race or from persecution. Our Lord says well done to those of us who ran the race for Him throughout our lives and have become weary in His service. God says well done to those persecuted for His sake. Notice though, He does not say we will not be persecuted. Through Peter, Paul, and other writers, God says we are called to this persecution. Persecution is inseparable from our vocation as the called of Christ. Christ also suffered for us, leaving us this example so we could follow in His footsteps (1Pet. 2:21). The questions follow: Are you a disciple of Christ? Are you in a daily relationship with Him? Are you living a life worthy to be persecuted for Christ? Would anyone even know you are a Christian? I challenge you not to become so busy with the task God has given you that you run off and forget your Lord. Be tuned in to Jesus and talk with Him each day so you can be a genuine discipler for Christ.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Follower-Discipler
While teaching children, I led them to look at our calling as Christians. We recalled the Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20. In it, Jesus tells us, His followers, to "go make disciples.” Jesus does not say, “Go save souls” or “Go hit them on the head with the Bible.” Many of us see that as a command to go out and do. If we go and do in our own strength or lose sight of the source of our calling, going and doing becomes a task and becomes wearying. We cannot go and make disciples unless we are disciples ourselves. The challenge is to have a relationship with Jesus every day, gain sustenance from Him, hear His command, and see as He sees the children He created and wants to follow Him, too. If we focus too much on our calling, our attention upon God wanes. We lose sight of the source of our strength and our heart's desire. We become weary. This loss of strength from inattentiveness to Jesus is not the same as wearying from running the race or from persecution. Our Lord says well done to those of us who ran the race for Him throughout our lives and have become weary in His service. God says well done to those persecuted for His sake. Notice though, He does not say we will not be persecuted. Through Peter, Paul, and other writers, God says we are called to this persecution. Persecution is inseparable from our vocation as the called of Christ. Christ also suffered for us, leaving us this example so we could follow in His footsteps (1Pet. 2:21). The questions follow: Are you a disciple of Christ? Are you in a daily relationship with Him? Are you living a life worthy to be persecuted for Christ? Would anyone even know you are a Christian? I challenge you not to become so busy with the task God has given you that you run off and forget your Lord. Be tuned in to Jesus and talk with Him each day so you can be a genuine discipler for Christ.
