Discipleship: Be Covered in the Dust of Your Rabbi

 "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed Him"
-Matthew 4:18-20

A major part of regular church attendance is hearing the fact that you need to be Jesus' disciple. A disciple is defined in the English dictionary as a "follower." In the Greek texts, in which the New Testament books were written, disciple most nearly means "learner." Which makes sense, because we need to follow Jesus and learn what He teaches.

To me, there always has been something maybe not inherently wrong, but something inherently missing in the English and Greek definitions. If I say that a disciple is a "learner" and "follower," how is that any different from today's teacher-student relationship? Being a follower only requires being within sight of the object being followed, and God calls us into an intimate relationship with Him. That doesn't fit in at all. For being a "learner," what do you really do in your relationship with your teachers at school? You learn what they know, then flush it all away and not bother with it again after the exam. That doesn't fit at all with what God wants from us. In the Bible, God wants relationship with us.

Naturally, the question then is "But then what is a disciple?" Put it this way; in the Hebrew text, the word for disciple (I believe it is "tel-mid," but I'm not too sure on that) means someone who aspires to be exactly like his Rabbi. In other words, if you were my disciple, you would do what I do, eat what I eat, and try to by like me. And that, my friends, is God's calling to us.

Let me put that definition of a disciple into context for you. In ancient Jewish culture, children started, from a very young age, to memorize the Torah, which is the first five books of the Old Testament. They are tested on the Torah at ages 10-13. Only those who knew Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy perfectly were allowed to move on to memorize the rest of the Old Testament, which is 39 books long. 39 books! To think that I have trouble memorizing one verse!

After they memorized the Old Testament, the aspiring disciple would then go to the local Rabbi and ask the Rabbi a question that would go like this: "May I follow you?" The Rabbi would then proceed to test the aspiring disciple with questions like, "What are the birds listed in the Old Testament?" and things like "Recite the book of 1 Samuel to me." If the aspiring disciple impresses the Rabbi, the Rabbi would say something like, "Come, follow me."

If anything, the question "may I follow you" and the accepting response "come, follow me" may seem somewhat odd. But then think about what we just said a disciple is. A disciple, a tel-mid, is someone who wants to be identical to his Rabbi. So really, the question being asked is, "do you think I have what it takes to be exactly like you?" And the response really means, "I think you have what it takes to be exactly like me."

Now let's take a look at the passage in Luke again, when Jesus is calling His disciples. He really is saying, "I think you have what it takes to be identical to me, the Son of God!"

It's really crazy, right? Even Simon Peter thought so, when he says in Luke 5:8, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" He knew that he could not possibly be identical to Jesus Christ, who is the only man to have lived a sinless life. God knows this and thus, He sent His Spirit to live in our hearts to change us to be like Him. 

That's what it really means to be a disciple of God. That we strive to be identical to Him, that we might live be His example by Jesus Christ. That is the calling of a disciple of God.

Pain

Pain. A four character word that no one likes. Pain weighs us down, pain prevents us from reaching our full potential, pain wants us to go down. Or so we think.

I once heard my rather amusing cross country coach say to my that pain is weakness leaving your body. I just thought that pertained to the brutal workout we were doing that day. However, through some pain of my own, I've realized that that statement is much more than what it appears.

God allows us to have pain in our lives to make us grow in Him. That is a Sunday school answer, I know, but it's not like many of you would think.

Most Christians are taught to trust God in everything. Yes, you still should trust God, because He is perfect, powerful, etc. So when God gives you pain, He wants to develop you as a person.

Here's the thing though. Some people (myself included) just pray that God will take it away. That God will end the storm. God, thankfully, is a lot more concerned about our character than our comfort, and He will not end it unless we grow.

That begs the question: How do you grow when the waves are crashing down and the winds are howling? How do you grow in God when things are tough?

In pain, in our deepest sorrows, God's majesty and grace shine bright. In the midst of our suffering, God's grace is valued truly, because it is in the dark when we see the light. God will bring you through the pain; God will lead you in the path that He set for you. You just have to trust God that He knows where He is going with the pain and follow His lead. God won't let your foot slip, He will not "amuse" himself by allowing you to run into a tree. God will lead you down a true path, and God will refine you through the flame.

There's this verse, Romans 15:13, and it says,
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Pain isn't nice; it doesn't feel good. But it is the time when we grow the most in God. God knows where He is going. Trust in God. God will be there every step of the way; God will lead you to a better tomorrow.

Education

Education. That word usually initiates the imagination to start producing images of thick text books piled high on you desk, papers everywhere, a human sitting on the chair in front of the desk, pencil/pen moving frantically across paper, and a computer on some research site.
Just out of curiosity, I looked up the definition of educate in dictionary.com.

Here's what the definition is:

"To develop the faculties and powers of (a person) by teaching, instruction, or schooling."

The definition they gave to education is:
"The act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life."

The definitions for the two similar words kept bouncing around in my head for a while now. The reason for this is because that the definition for educate implies that the ability of a person to succeed in what they are meant to do is already there. The definition for education, meanwhile, can be summed up as acquiring knowledge to prepare for things to come. I've also recently heard from my chemistry honors teacher that to educate meant to "bring out the treasure from within someone." His definition, combined with the two others, made me realize that educating and education are words that mean so much more than pointless studying. To educate means that you're bringing out the best of someone, their "treasure" of knowledge to do work. "Education" is acquiring knowledge to prepare for what is to come.


The Bible here is a great metaphor to use to explain what these words mean. The Bible, being God's living word, educates us when we look into it, bringing out the knowledge, the treasure, from within us. It brings out what is already in us; the characteristics that God has given us. The "education" part comes in that it prepares us for our work in this world and the second coming of Jesus.


God is the Great Educator. God not only gives us our education (giving us the necessary tools to do our work), but also educates us (teaches us how to use those tools to the fullest extent).

Sin: Why Do We Keep Doing It?

You might have heard a million times by now that everyone is sinful, and that sin is bad because it is a rejection of God, either in omission or commission. However, if we Christians accept Christ as our savior and God made us new again, then why do we keep sinning?

"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."
-Romans 7:15

Sin is rooted in the belief that there is something out there greater than God. God is, of course, the greatest thing anyone can have, but Satan is very good at tempting us and making us believe that there is something greater than God out there. But if God hates it so much and if it's such a  bad thing to do,  then why do we keep doing it?

The thing about sin is that it feels good to do. If sin was painful to do, then nobody would want to sin. But the fact is that it is enjoyable at the time. This is because sin plays with our desires and turns them into something that is not good. For example, sex is a beautiful thing, the highest expression of love that a husband can give to his wife. However, Satan took God's design and twisted it in our minds to make us think that it's a good thing to do. He eggs us on by telling us that it feels good. And yes, sex is supposed to feel good. It's supposed to be enjoyable. If it wasn't enjoyable, then why would you save it for someone that you love? However, the point here is that twisted desires make us want to keep sinning.

So how are we supposed to fight temptation and sin? It's simple to say but hard to do. Stand firm with God. Let God be God in you life, let God take control. God knows what's best for you and what isn't good for you, and He knows what it's like to be tempted, for Jesus was tempted as well. And if you feel like the temptations in your life are too big, then know this. God will never let you be tempted more than you can bear. You are strong enough for this, you just have to trust God. Remember, sinning is a matter of choice between God and your desires.

Now, will we ever be free from sin? Yes, when we are in Heaven with God. However, here on earth, it is impossible to be without it, simply because we are human.

But that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly what Jesus has done for us. He has separated us from our sins as far the east is from the west.

Then why is it necessary to be a better person? Because the God fearing life is the best possible life, and that's exactly what God guides us toward. The best life, with God.

Forgiveness

 "Truly, I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter."
- Mark 3:28

God forgives our sins and thus, we are supposed to forgive other people. Today, to forgive someone of something seems to have lost its true value and meaning; lost its power and thus, leads many people to have a wrong perspective on the nature of God's forgiveness and mercy. Forgiving someone is so much more than simply "getting over something." Forgiving someone means that you will choose to forget someone's wrongdoings.

How does that work? How can God "forget" our sins when He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and all-knowing? Does that really have to do with our own salvation?

Put it this way. If I punched you in the face right now, you probably wouldn't like me very much afterward. But when I come and ask for your forgiveness, I'm literally asking you to forget. I'm asking you to do far more than just move on, because simply moving on doesn't heal open wounds. In fact, the only way for me to truly be a friend back to you would be if you forgave, if you chose to forget what I've done.

Imagine every time we sin and fall short of God, that it's like we're slapping God in the face. God hates sin, it says in the Bible, and God surely doesn't like getting slapped in the face. However, if we just so much as ask Him, God will choose to forget. He will forgive us of our transgressions, no matter how big or small.

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross."
-Colossians  2:13-14

And that's the truly amazing thing about forgiveness. God forgets what we've done when we ask Him to. God took away our sins and carried them to the cross. That way, we are restored in God's sight, and once again we are pure in God's eyes.

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them."
-Luke 1:68

So the next time that someone wrongs us, what should we do?
Be like God here; choose to forget, for that is what God did for us.

The Christian Journey

"Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone,  and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.""
Matthew 14:22-33

I've heard his story a lot and read it countless times. I always thought, yeah, Peter, you doubted. So the moral of the story is don't doubt. The end. El fin.

But in this passage, there is a beautiful illustration of the Christian life and the walk with God. We see it in all of the stages: the initial step, the journey,the fall, and the rise.

In the passage, Peter gets out of the boat after Jesus tells him to. In the context of the Christian life, that life begins with a desire to want to follow Jesus. For that to happen, you need to step out of your "boat," your comfort zone. You need to sacrifice the world that you have and than walk out towards God.

It doesn't end there though. You need to continually walk towards God and keep your focus on Jesus. In the passage, we see Peter walking towards Jesus, on the water!

But along the way, the winds and the waves will be there, wanting to deter you. Some of those distractions will succeed in making you fall. Because let's face it. The Christian life is difficult. It's going to be really hard at times, and there will be storms that are going to want to sweep you away and bring you to the bottom, within its fiery depths. Satan is always going to try to get you away from God; that's his "job" if you will call it that. Also, God is going to refine you through the fire, and that's not going to feel good. It's going to hurt and it's going to be tough.

But in the passage in Matthew, we see Peter do something that is quite remarkable. He begins to sink after being distracted from Jesus, and then he cries out for help, "Lord, save me!" It's totally fine to call out to God for help. We see David in many of his psalms calling for help.

"Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer." Psalm 4:1

In the passage in Matthew, right after Peter calls for help, Jesus came over and saved him. That's an amazing thing, that God would save us from the storm. Now, He might not take the storm away, but He'll be there to pick you up, and that's the amazing thing. God will be there with us, to comfort us, and we'll know that He is there and that He'll never abandon us. This is why God refines us with fire, lets storms happen, because in the end, we'll have grown so much in our faith and relationship with Him.

That is the Christian journey in a neat little package. It's the initial step out towards God, the walk with God with the storms, the refinement through fire, and than the fact that we get to be with God. Isn't that a beautiful picture?

And a question I want to leave you guys with: Why in the world are the other disciples still on the boat?

Love

What do you think when you hear the word love? Does a particular movie scene come to mind? Do you think about sex? What about your feelings for that special someone? Is that love?

But what does it really mean when someone says, "I love you?" What does that actually mean?

"Hear, O Israel. The Lord is our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your strength." - Deuteronomy 6:4-5

When God says that, what does He mean?

Here's the thing. Love cannot be a feeling or an emotion, because let's face reality: You cannot be infatuated with someone forever. Nor is it possible to serve God cheerfully all of the time. So then, what is love? When the Bible says that God is love, what does that mean?

Simple. It means that to love is to be like God. In other words, love is a commitment of self-sacrifice to other people. It means to lay down your life, your passions, and your beliefs to serve people like God serves us.

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." - John 15:13
We see God's love all throughout the Bible. When God banished Adam and Eve from Eden, He gave them clothes to cover their shame. When God destroyed the world with a flood, He gave us a rainbow as a sign of his love. The ultimate example is, of course, Jesus Christ, who died for our own sins.

So, when God put himself on the cross, He showed that he was willing to sacrifice even Himself for us, because He wanted to spend eternity in heaven with us.

So when you next say, "I love you," what are you saying?

You're saying that you're going to be like God, that you are going to be committed to self-sacrifice for other people.