Though costly, discipleship once had a very clear, straightforward meaning. The mechanics are not the same today. We cannot literally be with him [Christ] in the same way as his first disciples could. But the priorities and intentions--the heart or inner attitudes--of disciples are forever the same. In the heart of a disciple there is a desire, and there is a decision or settled intent. Having come to some understanding of what it means, and thus having "counted up the costs," the disciple of Christ desires above all else to be like him. Thus, "it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher" (Matthew 10:25). And moreover, "everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher" (Luke 6:40).
Given this desire, usually produced by the lives and words of those already in the Way, there is still a decision to be made: the decision to devote oneself to becoming like Christ. The disciple is one who, intent upon becoming Christ-like and so dwelling in his "faith and practice," systematically and progressively rearranges his affairs to that end. By these decisions and actions, even today, one enrolls in Christ's training, becomes his pupil or disciple. There is no other way. We must keep this in mind should we, as disciples, decide to make disciples.
In contrast, the nondisciple, whether inside or outside the church, has something "more important" to do or undertake than to become like Jesus Christ. He or she has "bought a piece of ground," perhaps, or even five yoke of oxen, or has taken a spouse (Luke 14:18-19). Such lame excuses only reveal that something on that dreary list of security, reputation, wealth, power, sensual indulgence, or mere distraction and numbness, still retains his or her ultimate allegiance. Or if someone has seen through these, he or she may not know the alternative--not know, especially, that it is possible to live under the care and governance of God, working and living with him as Jesus did, always "seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness."
A mind cluttered by excuses may make a mystery of discipleship, or it may see it as something to be dreaded. But there is no mystery about desiring and intending to be like someone--that is a very common thing. And if we really do intend to be like Christ, that will be obvious to every thoughtful person around us, as well as to ourselves. Of course, attitudes that define the disciple cannot be realized today by leaving family and business to accompany Jesus on his travels about the countryside. But discipleship can be made concrete by actively learning how to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, walk the second mile with an oppressor--in general, living out the gracious inward transformations of faith, hope, and love. Such acts--carried out by the disciplined person with manifest grace, peace, and joy--make discipleship no less tangible and shocking today than were those desertions of long ago. Anyone who will enter into the Way can verify this, and he or she will at the same time prove that discipleship is far from dreadful.
-- Dallas Willard from his article, "Discipleship for Super Christians Only?" included in his book, The Great Omission. Definitely worth the read!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
A Book Recommendation
Our church small group has just finished reading Deep-Rooted in Christ: The way of transformation by Joshua Choonmin Kang. Foreword by Richard Foster. Kang is a man who has authored numerous books in Korean, but this is his first book in English. The book is what the title says, a book that points to the way of transformation by being rooted in Christ. The book contains 52 chapters, and each chapter is short and easily read in one sitting. Although the pages are short, the material is full of spiritual wisdom. Two of my favorite chapters were "Discipline of Shepherding" and "A Vessel for the Power of God."
A couple of quotes: "Spiritual formation begins the day we meet Jesus. That day we begin to understand our true identities. First, we get a glimpse of our ugly side. Second, we discover our splendid, unlimited potential. Such a vision of our true nature is one of the great gifts God gives us.
"Spiritual discipline is about keeping the instrument pure and simple. Spiritual discipline is about denying ourselves. Spiritual discipline is about losing our edge in this world, only to regain the spiritual edge when God does the sharpening."
This is a good, solid book that will benefit anybody that is pursuing a deeper union with Christ and a life transformed by the Holy Spirit.
A couple of quotes: "Spiritual formation begins the day we meet Jesus. That day we begin to understand our true identities. First, we get a glimpse of our ugly side. Second, we discover our splendid, unlimited potential. Such a vision of our true nature is one of the great gifts God gives us.
"Spiritual discipline is about keeping the instrument pure and simple. Spiritual discipline is about denying ourselves. Spiritual discipline is about losing our edge in this world, only to regain the spiritual edge when God does the sharpening."
This is a good, solid book that will benefit anybody that is pursuing a deeper union with Christ and a life transformed by the Holy Spirit.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
John Chrysostom on Self-Judgment
Let us not be overcurious about the failings of others, but take account of our own; let us reckon up the excellences of other men, while we bear in mind our faults; and thus shall we be well pleasing to God.
For he who looks at the faults of others, and at his own excellences, is injured in two ways: by the latter he is carried up to arrogance, through the former he falls into listlessness. For when he perceives that such a one has sinned, very easily will he sin himself; when he perceives that he has in anything excelled, very easily he becomes arrogant. He who consigns to oblivion his own excellences, and looks at his failings only, while he is a curious enquirier of the excellences--not the sins--of others, he is profited in many ways.
And how? When he sees that such a one has done excellently, he is raised to emulate the same; when he sees that he himself has sinned, he is rendered humble and modest. If we act thus, if we thus regulate ourselves, we shall be able to obtain the good things which are promised, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ.-- from Homilies on Philippians
For he who looks at the faults of others, and at his own excellences, is injured in two ways: by the latter he is carried up to arrogance, through the former he falls into listlessness. For when he perceives that such a one has sinned, very easily will he sin himself; when he perceives that he has in anything excelled, very easily he becomes arrogant. He who consigns to oblivion his own excellences, and looks at his failings only, while he is a curious enquirier of the excellences--not the sins--of others, he is profited in many ways.
And how? When he sees that such a one has done excellently, he is raised to emulate the same; when he sees that he himself has sinned, he is rendered humble and modest. If we act thus, if we thus regulate ourselves, we shall be able to obtain the good things which are promised, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ.-- from Homilies on Philippians
Thursday, March 13, 2008
A time of spiritual self-assessment
Do you observe the season of Lent? Do you give up chocolate? Maybe you stop drinking coffee for 40 days. Do you even think about the time of Lent? If somebody asked you how you felt about Lent, would your response be, “I hate it when it sticks to my dark colored sweaters!”? For many parts of the church around the world, Lent is a time of spiritual preparation for the joyful celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Here’s a little of the history and meaning behind the season of Lent.
In the earliest days of the church, Lent began as a day of fasting in preparation for water baptism, which usually occurred during the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. One of the oldest Christian documents, The Didache (literally, “The Teaching”—written around 120 AD), instructed concerning baptism: “Before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whatever others can; but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before.” And so the practice began.
Over time the one or two days became five or six days. It was a time when new Christians were taught the faith and life of Christianity before their baptism. But eventually the church grew and baptisms occurred at times other than Resurrection Sunday, so it was no longer just a preparation for baptism. By 325 AD the season of Lent had stretched to a time of 40 days, probably in keeping with Jesus’ own fast of 40 days.
The 40 days were seen as a time for self-assessment in regard to the step that was taken at baptism when the believers had declared themselves “dead to sin” but “risen with Christ to new life” (see Romans 6:3-4). Even for those who had been Christians for many years, this time of personal “taking stock” helped the individual to see their personal weaknesses, to recognize their need for continued repentance, and to renew their longing for the life and power of the risen Christ.
On the basis of this historical explanation, I would suggest that many of us could use a season of “lent,” of stopping and looking at our spiritual condition and renewing our desire for more of the life of Christ.
Perhaps this prayer from the late 4th century by Ephrem the Syrian, considered by many Christians to be the classic Lent prayer, will help to display the attitude to be adopted during the time of Lent:
O Lord and Master of my life!
Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.
Yes, O Lord and King!
Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother;
For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.
This prayer sets out the negatives and the positives of repentance and prepares the heart for the joyful reality that Christ is risen from the dead. Spiritual laziness, spiritual weakness, pride and lust for power, and empty talk all cause us to spiritually fragment. We no longer have Christ as the center of our existence, and we can end up running in too many different directions—usually self-centered directions.
The translation of “chastity” from the original Syriac means much more than just sexual purity; it carries the notion of “whole-mindedness.” When we have this whole-mindedness, we are centered in our need for Christ and the power that He gives as we learn to walk in the Holy Spirit. This awareness brings with it a sense of humility as we see our own need, patience with others as we see that we aren’t really any better than they are, and love for all people—not as a “potential convert” or as a subject of my “good deed for the week” but as a living, feeling, person for whom Christ died.
If we try to live a “good life” in our own strength and power, we are going to fall short every time. As Paul stated, “I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn I can’t make myself do right. I want to but I can’t” (Romans 7:18 Living Bible).
Is Lent found in the Bible? No. It is not a practice explicitly commanded by God. It’s simply a church tradition that has grown up over the centuries, but the season of Lent can be much more than giving up one thing or another for a few days in hopes of somehow pleasing God and gaining a blessing. Rather it can be a time of jumping off the treadmill of life and recognizing that in our own strength we can’t do all that God asks of us, but thankfully God doesn’t leave us there.
The recognition of our weaknesses and failures causes us to look gratefully and joyfully toward the time when we can celebrate the fact that Christ has risen from the dead; He has ascended to the Father in heaven; and He has sent His Holy Spirit to transform our lives and make us new creations in Him. “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
In the earliest days of the church, Lent began as a day of fasting in preparation for water baptism, which usually occurred during the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. One of the oldest Christian documents, The Didache (literally, “The Teaching”—written around 120 AD), instructed concerning baptism: “Before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whatever others can; but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before.” And so the practice began.
Over time the one or two days became five or six days. It was a time when new Christians were taught the faith and life of Christianity before their baptism. But eventually the church grew and baptisms occurred at times other than Resurrection Sunday, so it was no longer just a preparation for baptism. By 325 AD the season of Lent had stretched to a time of 40 days, probably in keeping with Jesus’ own fast of 40 days.
The 40 days were seen as a time for self-assessment in regard to the step that was taken at baptism when the believers had declared themselves “dead to sin” but “risen with Christ to new life” (see Romans 6:3-4). Even for those who had been Christians for many years, this time of personal “taking stock” helped the individual to see their personal weaknesses, to recognize their need for continued repentance, and to renew their longing for the life and power of the risen Christ.
On the basis of this historical explanation, I would suggest that many of us could use a season of “lent,” of stopping and looking at our spiritual condition and renewing our desire for more of the life of Christ.
Perhaps this prayer from the late 4th century by Ephrem the Syrian, considered by many Christians to be the classic Lent prayer, will help to display the attitude to be adopted during the time of Lent:
O Lord and Master of my life!
Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.
Yes, O Lord and King!
Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother;
For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.
This prayer sets out the negatives and the positives of repentance and prepares the heart for the joyful reality that Christ is risen from the dead. Spiritual laziness, spiritual weakness, pride and lust for power, and empty talk all cause us to spiritually fragment. We no longer have Christ as the center of our existence, and we can end up running in too many different directions—usually self-centered directions.
The translation of “chastity” from the original Syriac means much more than just sexual purity; it carries the notion of “whole-mindedness.” When we have this whole-mindedness, we are centered in our need for Christ and the power that He gives as we learn to walk in the Holy Spirit. This awareness brings with it a sense of humility as we see our own need, patience with others as we see that we aren’t really any better than they are, and love for all people—not as a “potential convert” or as a subject of my “good deed for the week” but as a living, feeling, person for whom Christ died.
If we try to live a “good life” in our own strength and power, we are going to fall short every time. As Paul stated, “I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn I can’t make myself do right. I want to but I can’t” (Romans 7:18 Living Bible).
Is Lent found in the Bible? No. It is not a practice explicitly commanded by God. It’s simply a church tradition that has grown up over the centuries, but the season of Lent can be much more than giving up one thing or another for a few days in hopes of somehow pleasing God and gaining a blessing. Rather it can be a time of jumping off the treadmill of life and recognizing that in our own strength we can’t do all that God asks of us, but thankfully God doesn’t leave us there.
The recognition of our weaknesses and failures causes us to look gratefully and joyfully toward the time when we can celebrate the fact that Christ has risen from the dead; He has ascended to the Father in heaven; and He has sent His Holy Spirit to transform our lives and make us new creations in Him. “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
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