Discipleship and Christianity… what does it mean today?
QUESTION:
If you went somewhere in the world, and met someone that honestly has no clue what a Christian is… How would you describe it?
“Disciple” actually just means “Learner” and its only later where the followers of Christ, His learners, His disciples were refered to as “Christians” for the first time that we know of in Antioch, about 10-15 years after the death and resurrection of Christ.
How do we know this?
“Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”
(Acts 11:25,26 NIV)
So the meaning of the words changed to gain value.
Becoming a Christian was essentially
- an INTENTIONAL commitment to follow Christ as Lord and Saviour
- Allow your character to be shaped by the Truth of His Word and the Holy Spirit
- and to Participate in His Mission in the world (To follow His Commands)
The intentional commitment to follow Christ as Lord, to be shaped in character and truth by His Word and Spirit, and to participate in His mission in the world.
But more recently, the meaning of “Christian” to the world, changed to mean “Not Muslim” (a social contract, a moral lifestyle type) and unfortunately, it also changed for the actual Christians. To many, we have a much watered down idea of who we are and what we are supposed to do once we are “saved”
“While many Christians say they want to become more like Jesus, the Jesus they’re imagining is largely a modern (and American) religious and cultural construct.
He’s a Jesus who wants us to:
be good people,
work an honest job,
go to church as often as we can,
be wise with our money,
save up enough to retire well,
raise well-behaved kids who don’t drink or party or have sex before marriage,
and be nice to our neighbors
while seeking justice for our enemies.”
(Preston Sprinkle)
It seems the best way to get what you want when you are not supposed to get it, is to change the name and assign a new meaning.
Like “re-appropriation and redistribution” (aka theft) 😃
But think back to the original disciples from the bible. How they were called, and how they responded.
The intentional commitment to follow Christ as Lord, to be shaped in character and truth by His Word and Spirit, and to participate in His mission in the world.
Can we look at it?
1. Following Christ
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.”
(Matthew 4:19,20 NIV)
It starts with an intentional response to the call of Jesus.
Not just admiration for his teachings or doings, not allegiance to His way of life.
A Choice of Change.
2. Learning and Imitation
“The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.”
(Luke 6:40 NIV)
A disciple is not just a student of information. A disciple aims to immitate the life of their teacher, Jesus. Don’t get me wrong. The teachings of Jesus are great. Even non-believers like it… well, (most of it… as long as it doesn’t interfere with their lust, greed or pride) The real power, however, lies in changing my lifestyle to match what Jesus gave his disciples as an example for three years…
3. Transformation of the inner person
”Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
(Romans 12:2 NIV)
Our aim is NOT simple behaviour management. It is to become like Christ. Strive for Christlikeness… Change the way we think, act and do things, as well as the reason why we do them.
4. Obedience flowing from Love
“If you love me, keep my commands.”
(John 14:15 NIV)
We love God because He loved us first (1 John 4:19). We obey the commands Jesus gave not because we have to, but because we want to.
5. Cost and Surrender
”And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ”
(Luke 14:27,28 NIV)
There is Joy, and there are celebrations, but there is definitely opposition and a cost to the decision to follow Jesus.
See again point 1: Following Christ is an Intentional Response
We have to die to ourselves, our broken ways, and re-order our priorities.
When a man decides to get maried, changes are going to happen, and its an intentional set of decissions, of lifestyle changes, because the prize is worth it!
But Jesus never hid the fact that if you decide to follow Him, you will be in direct opositions with the world. Almost every book in the bible shows this in some form, but for some reason, we want to believe that getting comfort from Jesus, means getting comfortable…
Its a dichotomy. Yes, life with Jesus is amazingly better than life without! But it is not what the world thinks it is… because the world can only measure prosperity in succes, power and influence. It really strugles with concepts of love, caring, selflessness and compassion. If you read a news article about mother Theresa, you will find that instead of highlighting what her care and compassion means, they will try and equate it to success in numbers… 517 missions, 224 childrens homes. 27,000 helped. Instead of the core: Today she helped a child in the street, because cared. She shared the food she had, and got him some shoes. It was a good day.
6. Community and Multiplication
”Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
(Matthew 28:19,20 NIV)
Its not a private matter. God’s Command is to help restore the relationship between God and man. It is public, and open, and active.
Look, there is a cliff at the end of the road… The bridge is out and Death awaits anyone that goes that way. I have showed you how to save yourself, now show others how to be saved!
We are called to actively pursue and reproduce what is in us, in others.
Christianity and discipleship IS NOT
- Attending church every now and again
- Reading a bible verse every so often
- a self-improvement system
- an entrepeneurial enterprize
Discipleship is following Jesus in such a way that His Truth and Life reshapes who you are, how you live, and how you help others follow Him.
Remember the 15 second testimony?
I used to be: [add your story here]
But then Jesus came into my life,
and now I am free
It is because of this testimony we have, that we want to reshape our life to be in the image of Christ, living the way He showed, Loving the way He showed and doing what He asked. We were snatched from the claws of the devil, from addiction, from depression… from sin. From Death.
Now we are alive and free!
Simon Sinek loves to say: Start with Why… what is your WHY?
This is our why…
