The Adventure of Discipleship

The fourth (4/5) hallmark of discipleship that Jesus claimed would characterize His apprentice, is servant love (John 13:34-35).  It is the one trait that gives evidence to the world that our apprenticeship is authentic.

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  (35)  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples” (John 13:35-35 NLT).

Having announced His betrayal and identified his betrayer, Jesus turned His attention to the remaining disciples and said,

1. So now I am giving you a new commandment

At first this would seem incorrect because the command to love one another was of paramount importance in the Old Testament (Lev. 19:18).  In fact, when Jesus was asked to sum up the Old Testament law, He gave the well-known dual of loving God and loving others (Mark 12:29, 31).  So what makes it “new”?

The answer is not in the trait itself but in the model.  In the Old Testament the best model of how to love others was how people loved themselves.  We can relate all too well.  Serving self is in our DNA.  We are the center of our own affections and acts of kindness.  So to serve others the same way we serve ourselves is a good model.

But with the incarnation of God in Christ, we now have a better model of servant love – Jesus Christ.

If the new birth in Christ is intended to free us from the self-focus and narcissism of our fallen nature, it would make sense that we would need a different point of reference.

With our new commandment to love others as Jesus loves, it becomes less relevant how well we love ourselves.  “You can’t love others without first loving yourself” may be popular psychology, but it is not New Testament discipleship.

 In this explanation of servant love, Jesus is raising the bar just as He often did when giving His interpretation of the Old Testament precepts.  The command for us to love others as Christ loves requires both the power of His Holy Spirit and an accurate understanding of how Jesus loves.

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children.  Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God (Eph. 5:1-2 NLT).

Before Jesus gave the command to love in the same way He loves, He gave a practical example by   washing the feet of the disciples.  This job was normally reserved for the lowest servant of the household and apparently all the disciples thought it was beneath them to perform it.  This servant act by Jesus was done purposely to demonstrate His love for them and to prepare their hearts for the exhortations and discourse that followed.

Jesus used foot washing as a model of servant love and it had at least three different levels of meaning:

• Physical:  an act of kindness for the benefit of others.

This is the most obvious meaning and amazingly (in this context) it even included Judas who was only hours away from betraying Jesus.

• Emotional:  an expression of enduring love.

John introduces this act of kindness with the comment “Having loved His own, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1).  Jesus’ expression of servant love came out of His very nature as both a servant and lover.  Paul states that Jesus took on the form of a bond-servant (Phil. 2:5-11).  The word “form” implies His serving was an expression of His inner essence.

In contrast with love that needs to be placated, coerced and manipulated, our sovereign Lord expressed His nature as a servant who loves.  This love removes obstacles to relationships and communicates to another person that he/she is valuable, important and deeply appreciated.  Serving is one way to express enduring love.

• Spiritual:  an illustration of forgiveness and spiritual healing.

Perhaps out of feeling embarrassed, Peter resisted having Jesus wash his feet.  However, when Jesus told him the foot washing was an illustration of cleansing/forgiveness, he asked for a bath.  Jesus explained that he didn’t need a bath (justification, 1 Cor. 6:11) but he did need his feet washed (daily cleansing, I John 1:9).  Peter didn’t understand this until later when he realized that Jesus’ love and forgiveness transcended even his denial.

On this side of the cross, we can see how forgiveness is an expression of Christ’s self-sacrificing love.  We also recognize as His apprentices the need to demonstrate servant love by forgiving others (Matt. 6:12).  One way this can be done is by “forgiving forward”.  We decide before-hand to not be offended or attribute motives to the actions of others.  In other words, we will give up our right to be right and choose not to be offended.

“Love is patient and kind…it does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged…Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance” (1Cor. 13:4-7 NLT).

 The second observation is that Jesus not only gave the command to love as He loved, but, in fact, the world will judge the authenticity of our apprenticeship by our love rather than by our religious practices.

2. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.

 All the traits or hallmarks of discipleship reflect the nature and character of Jesus as they were displayed during his earthly life.  Each trait is a thread woven throughout His earthly ministry.  Servanthood was one of the more obvious ones.  If you did a “man on the street” interview asking people to describe Jesus, the most common response would probably be, “He went around doing good for others.”

The early church demonstrated servant love within the family of faith by taking care of their widows (Acts 6).  Also Paul urged the newly established churches in Asia Minor to send aid to the family of faith in Jerusalem who were suffering from a famine (2 Cor. 9:1-5).  In both cases the aid was for those in need within the family of faith.

Demonstrating servant love begins at (but is not limited to) home and the family of faith.   Servant love at all three levels (physical, emotional, and spiritual) should be highly visible within and among God’s family.  When this is put into practice even those outside the faith will recognize it as a mark of being a disciple of Jesus.  In fact, Jesus gives the world permission to assess our discipleship based on how well we love one another.    I wonder if servant love was our public image, would there be more interest in the gospel?

Questions for reflection:

1. What are some additional reasons why Jesus changed the model for loving others from self to Himself?

 Why do you think the first focus for servant love was on the family of faith rather than on the world at large?

Obedience is the disciple’s pathway to Freedom.  On the resurrection side of the cross, obedience is not a pathway to righteousness (we are declared righteous in Christ) but the pathway of freedom to love and know Christ (John 14:21).

We have previously discussed two traits of a disciple:  Comprehensive Alignment and Sacrificial Allegiance.  Another indicator Jesus gave of His apprentices is found in John 8:31-32.

“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31-32 NASB).

I call this trait “Faithful Obedience”.  In this blog we will explore its meaning and the promised results.

“Continue (abide) in My Word” implies alignment to the will of God or in other words, obedience.  However, the term obedience carries some negative connotations for us today so we need to relook at what it means.

Webster:  Obedience is not synonymous with servility but being merely a proper submission to authority. That which duty requires implies dignity of conduct rather than servility.  Obedience may be voluntary or involuntary.

Biblical obedience is more than adhering to a list of rules or commands.  It is alignment to the revealed will of God in all of its various forms including commands, desires, values, promises, and purposes.

The people Jesus was speaking to in John 8 were apparently receptive and friendly.  They probably considered themselves to be His disciples.  However, Jesus challenged them with the verb “continue”.  It can also be translated as abide, dwell, endure, or remain.  Three implications of the verb “continue” can help clarify this trait of apprenticeship.

A disciple is one whose response to the Word is:

     1.  Personal (first-hand, individual)

There is an interesting set of instructions that Moses gives Israel as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.  In a prophetic anticipation of Israel being led by a king, Moses gives three things every king should not do and one thing he must do.  He should not multiply horses, wives or personal wealth (Deut. 17:16-17), but he must:

“…write for himself a (personal) copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes”  (Deut. 16:18-19).

Sadly, Israel’s kings did what they should not do and did not do what they should have done.  Perhaps this is one reason for the rocky road Israel traveled throughout her history as a nation.  Imagine what would have happened if every king had copied the sacred Scripture by hand as he interacted with the Levitical priests and read it every day of his life.  The promised result would have been kings who feared God and were obedient to His Word.

When my father died, I kept his Bible which was worn, marked up, and stained.  Although I couldn’t read all his faded notations, they represented how very personal the Word was to him.  For my dad Scripture was not a textbook but a personal letter from God that required reading and rereading and most importantly, was valued as the source for life-change.

The Psalmist tells us to “Hide” God’s Word in our hearts.  Hiding involves more than just rote memory.  It involves making it personal, internal, part of our lives.

     2. Intentional (active, planned, purposeful)

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11 NIV).

Disciples intentionally plan to abide in His Word.  They do not leave it to chance or just when they feel like it.  Early in my discipleship journey I learned five methods to intentionally abide in the Word.  They are to hear it, read it, study it, memorize it, and meditate on it.  Those methods are just as critical for me today as they were then.

Each of these five methods connect us to Scripture in a different way.  We need to have a plan to use all five.  It is not surprising that the hardest ones seem to be the most effective for life change.

     3.  Consistent (faithful, continuous, and persistent)

I am reminded of the statement:  “Successful people do consistently what ordinary people do occasionally”.

Consistency brings payoff in the development of spiritual habits.  When a practice becomes a habit, we move from a focus on mechanics to the intended results.  It is the same whether the habit is going to the gym or memorizing Scripture.

A great picture of consistency is seen in the way God provided manna for the Israelites in the desert.  God provided this miraculous provision of nutrition, but the people had to gather it each day and only enough for the day.  Some tried to store it for future use, but it didn’t work.  Although God provided enough for each day, they had to personally, intentionally, and consistently go and get it.

A disciple does not rely on yesterday’s manna.  He knows he needs a fresh word from God.  The habit of a daily appointment with God (AWG) in His Word, is one of the essential practices of men and women of God down through history.  Early in my own spiritual journey consistency in His Word came as a result of reading a small booklet called “7 Minutes with God”.  The message was “it is better to spend a little bit of time (7 minutes) every day than a lot occasionally.”  Start with seven and when it becomes a habit, it is easy to expand to ten.

In our John 8:31-32 passage, Jesus highlighted three specific results of continuing in His Word: Proof of discipleship, knowledge of truth, and freedom.

“You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

Jesus goes on to explain that He is not referring to freedom from physical slavery or ignorance, but freedom from the slavery of sin, Satan’s lies, and the painful deception of self-rule.

We are embarrassingly vulnerable to the world’s deceptions unless we continue in the truth of God’s Word.  We are, like the kings of Israel, easily led astray.  The life of a disciple is marked by the spiritual freedom that comes through alignment to the truth of Scripture.

 Trait:  Faithful Obedience

A disciple is one who consistently makes the Scripture the final authority for all of life, seeking to know, understand, and align his/her life to it.

Questions for reflection:

1.  Which of the 5 methods of Scripture intake to you need to develop at this point in your spiritual journey?
2. Are there places in Scripture where you do not feel “at home”? Identify a place and develop a plan to explore it more.

Many of my generation were raised on the genre of TV westerns.  One of the familiar pictures of the real cowboy was his ability to take a wild horse, put him in a corral, saddle him up, get on and then stay on.  It was called “breaking” a horse.  If the cowboy stayed on, eventually the horse would give up and submit to the authority and dominance of a new master.

Unfortunately, many of us have this image when it comes to the second trait of a certified disciple:  sacrificial allegiance.  As previously discussed in Blog 37, sacrificial allegiance requires submitting to the authority of Christ.  We described it as lowering the flag of ego and replacing it with the flag of Christ and His kingdom.   However, it is important we do not interpret the lordship (or authority) of Christ as God wanting to “break us” and dominate us into submission.  This false idea was, regrettably, part of my early thinking and created within me a reluctance to follow Christ.

Fortunately, there has emerged another method for training horses that has gained traction in the horse world.  Thanks to pioneers like Monty Roberts, John Lyons, and Buck Brannaman, “natural horsemanship” or “resistance-free training” has become widely accepted.  Although this philosophy of horse training was popularized by Robert Redford in the movie “The Horse Whisperer”, it has actually been around for a long time.

This method of training builds on the understanding of how a horse is wired.  A horse in the wild is controlled by fear.  The only protection it has against predators is to flee.  Since anything other than another horse is a potential predator, the range horse is cautious and suspicious of anything unfamiliar.

Another important trait is that horses are herd animals.  They desire and seek out companionship.  A horse in the wild that has lost its herd will seek out and attempt to join up with another herd.

Monte Roberts observed this as a young boy watching wild mustangs.  He noticed that there was a process by which a horse would approach a new herd and seek to “join up”.  Roberts noticed that when a horse approached a new herd, the dominant mare would come out to meet it.  They would go through a series of gestures where the newcomer would acknowledge the leadership of the lead mare.   Once they touched (“joined up”), the newcomer would be accepted as part of the herd.  Using the same dynamics, Roberts turned this observation into a method for training horses.

Applying this method in a 50 foot diameter round pen, good horse trainers can take a wild horse and within a few hours, train the horse to trust and respond to the trainer without any kind of force or intimidation.  The basic idea is to convince the horse that the trainer is not a threat and is safe to “join up” with.

The trainer begins with letting the horse run around the perimeter of the round pen.  Once the horse concludes it can’t get out and that the person in the center of the round pen is not a threat, it will quit running and turn to face the trainer.  The trainer will slowly approach the horse until they can touch:  join up. Once that touch has been made, the trainer can walk away and the horse will willingly follow.

Once the horse willingly “joins up” with the trainer, the training process can begin.  It involves desensitizing the horse to its natural fears (surprises, loud noises, fire) and sensitizing it to the desires of the trainer.  A trained horse will learn to respond to even the slightest cues of the rider.

One of the most beautiful demonstrations of this training process is to watch horses performing dressage.   This equestrian event made famous in Austria is almost like a dance between horse and rider.  In the show arena the horse goes through a series of maneuvers and gaits much like a dance routine.  To the casual eye, it looks like the horse is doing it all on its own, but in reality the rider is giving the horse subtle cues that come from leg and hand pressure as well as  delicate weight shifts.   The horse has become so sensitized to the desires of the rider that together they appear to work as one.

It seems to me that this form of training is what God is doing with us.  Rather than trying to break us, He is trying to train us by teaching us to trust Him.  Once we overcome our fear and “join up”, He begins the process of desensitizing us to the habits and lies we have grown accustomed to and sensitizing us to the cues He wants to use to develop our God given potential, “taking us from the range to the arena by way of the round pen”.  I picture Christ standing in the center of the round pen and saying to us:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke  (the personal teaching principles of a rabbi) is easy and My burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).

He does not use coercion, manipulation, or force.  He simply seeks our trust in the goodness of His character.

A wild horse on the range can run, reproduce, and eat, but it is capable of so much more.  With the right trainer, it can accomplish many useful tasks and even perform before royalty.  When a horse gives up its “freedom” and learns to trust the trainer, it becomes truly free to be all it was created to be.

A broke horse does what it has to do, but a trained horse does what it can do to please its owner, responding to even the subtle cues.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Ps. 19:14).  

 A trained disciple learns to focus on Him (Heb. 12:2), sensitive to the gentle touch, the quiet voice, and the tender gaze that comes from His Word and Spirit.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you” (Ps. 32:8).

Trust is the foundation for God’s “natural horsemanship”.  God is not out to break us but to develop us.   Learning to trust overcomes the natural response to flee perceived danger.  Through trust we learn that our greatest fears are unwarranted.  We learn that life under His training is where we can experience our greatest fulfillment and freedom.

Questions for reflection:

1. Describe a time when you responded to a gentle cue of God’s direction. How did it make you feel?
2. Describe how you have been “sensitized” and/or “desensitized” along your journey of discipleship?

Whose flag are you flying?  When it comes to the authority for our life, there is room for only one flag on the flagpole.  The second trait of a disciple of Christ is sacrificial allegiance:  lowering our flag of “ego” and replacing it with the flag of Christ and His kingdom.  The flagpole over our castle cannot stand being empty.  Something or someone will always be the final authority, the only question is what or who?

The first trait of a certified disciple we identified was comprehensive alignment dealing with our Identity and destiny.  The second on our list of five traits deals with priority and authority.  All four Gospel writers record Jesus teaching on this essential indicator of discipleship.  While all the other traits are given with a single statement, this one takes multiple statements to explain.

Its importance is stressed not only by the amount of material but by its logical clarity.  This is the only discipleship indicator where Jesus states the truth with both a positive and negative statement.  When the Scripture wants to make a truth particularly clear, it will state the truth of both the thesis and antithesis (the positive statement and the negative statement).

For example, the apostle John uses this logic in explaining the source of eternal life (1 John 5:11-12).

• Statement:  He who has the Son has life (true)
• Negative statement:  He who does not have the Son of God does not have the life (also true)

In describing the discipleship trait of sacrificial authority, Jesus said:

• Statement:  A disciple takes up his cross and follows Me (true) (Luke 9:23)
• Negative statement:  If you do not take up your cross and follow Me, you cannot be My disciple (also true) (Matt. 10:38).

This type of explanation leaves no wiggle room.  It is clear, concise, and exclusive:  a binary explanation.

From the passages where Jesus explains sacrificial allegiance (Matt 10:34-39, Matt 16:24-28, Mark 8:34-38, Luke 9:23-27, Luke 14:25-33, John 12:24), we can make several observations:

1. Discipleship is costly and is not to be entered into lightly (Luke 14).

Jesus warned not to follow if we don’t plan on finishing.   Discipleship is not casual or cheap.

Notice that Jesus was not marketing discipleship to make it popular.  It seems that authenticity was more important than popularity.  If He were after increased market share, He would have just said, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life”.  But His challenge to take up your cross daily in order to follow Him, thinned the crowds significantly then as it does now.

2.  Discipleship is demanding and involves an exchange. The required exchange is stated in several different ways:

• Take up your cross daily and follow Me (Luke 9:23)
• Love Me more than your natural family (Luke 14:26; Matt 10:37)
• Gain by giving up (Matt 16:27; Mark 8:35)
• Lose your life to find it (John 12:24-25)

What Jesus referred to in taking up our cross daily, Paul captures in Romans 12:2 when he said we are to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice.  The critical dynamic behind these statements is the great exchange paradox.  Discipleship is built on the principle of exchanging our ordinary lives for something extraordinary, letting go in order to receive.  God cannot fill our hand when it is closed.

John records Jesus expressing the principle in agrarian terms.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal” (John 12:24-25 NASB).

Peter experienced the principle of exchange when he let go of the boat in the fury of the storm.  He learned that you’ve got to get out of the boat if you want to walk on water.  You can’t walk on water and sit in the boat at the same time; there must be an exchange.

Financial bankruptcy provides a picture of the principle of the exchanged life.  When a business is in financial trouble for a long period of time, the owners usually file Chapter 13 bankruptcy.  Then when Chapter 13 doesn’t work, they file Chapter 7 bankruptcy.  A simplified comparison:

Chapter 13:  Reorganization

• I am in trouble
• I have the means to get out of debt
• I need time to reorganize
• I retain control of my assets and keep going

Chapter 7 Liquidation

• I am in trouble
• I do not have the resources to succeed
• I give up
• I surrender my assets and start over

I think discipleship is like filing Chapter 7.  Overwhelmed by our debt, we surrender our meager assets and receive His assets in exchange.  We let the CEO of the Bank of the Kingdom give us a new start using His resources.

Both Matthew and Mark tell the story of a rich, young businessman who illustrates this exchange.  He came to Jesus having tried everything (religion, politics, wealth, morality), but the result was disappointing:  the thrill didn’t last.  His question was, “How can I experience a life of fulfillment that does not diminish with time?  How can I experience eternal life?”

Jesus quickly goes to the heart of the issue:  the flag of authority.  He tells the rich young man to let go of his stuff, give it away, claim chapter 7, and follow Him.  Sadly he chose his addiction rather than life.

The first discipleship trait of comprehensive alignment deals with our identity and destiny.  The second trait of sacrificial allegiance deals with priority and authority.  There is only room for one flag on our castle flagpole.  In order to put His up, we have to bring ours down.

Sacrificial allegiance (Luke 14:26)  

A disciple consistently submits to the priority and authority of Christ, choosing daily to raise the flag of His leadership over his/her life.

 Questions for reflection:

1. What does Romans 12:1-2 add to the concept of sacrificial allegiance?
2. How does our view of God affect our willingness to yield to His leadership?

With the authority of a Rabbi, Jesus clearly explained how He both interpreted and described discipleship.  He did not create a whole new concept but took one from the culture and redefined it.  The Gospel writers give five distinct statements in which Jesus clearly stated what His disciple looked like.  There are other discipleship implications from His teaching, but these five are the most definitive.

Let’s take a quick review of where we are in unpacking discipleship on the resurrection side of the cross.  I have suggested that a Hebrew (vs. Greek) definition of a disciple is one who is an intentional apprentice of Jesus and His kingdom (TADB 23).

I am describing discipleship as:

the personal, persistent pursuit of knowing, reflecting, and sharing Christ by means of critical spiritual disciplines in the context of supporting relationships resulting in the distinctive marks of an apprentice of Christ.  (TADB 24)

We have been looking at each element of this description (TADB 25-33) and are now ready for the last one:    the distinctive marks of an apprentice of Christ.  I have referred to these marks as traits or indicators of a “certified” disciple (TADB 34).  Over the next 5 blogs, I will look at each of these clearly stated traits so we can better align our own discipleship journey as well as be more effective mentors.   Since Jesus gave us the mission to be and make His disciples, these traits are not optional or electives.  Neither are these five marks of a certified disciple given as a check list to be completed, but rather they are lifetime pursuits.    Discipleship is verified (authenticated) when these traits are present and increasingly evident.

I call the first discipleship indicator “comprehensive alignment”.  Both Luke and Matthew record Jesus description of this trait but with a slightly different emphasis.  Luke emphasizes the identity of a disciple.

Students (disciples) are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher (Luke 6:40 NLT).

Jesus’ disciples are to “become like the Teacher”, emulating him in every way possible.  This implies more than outward obedience to some commands.  It implies a heart response and a whole life involvement.

History, however, does not reflect this kind of life emulation.  In fact, life is usually divided into two categories.  Much like living in a two-story townhouse, we put some areas of life in the upper, second story and the rest into a lower, first floor.  For example, the church father, Augustine, put spiritual matters in the upper story and relegated physical matters to the lower floor.  Today, Americans typically have a sacred/secular or private/public dichotomy.  The result of this two-story thinking is to apply one set of principles to the upper story and another set to the lower story.

When we unconsciously accept this dichotomy, we tend to put discipleship into the sacred (upper) story and the rest of life in the secular (lower) story.  We have our “spiritual life” (church, Bible study, etc.) and then we have our normal everyday life.  The former we align with Christ and Scripture, but the daily life is governed by a different set of principles.

Jesus, however, made no such two-story distinction.  He viewed all of life as sacred and an integral part of kingdom living. The goal for His disciples was to be fully trained to be like Jesus, meaning their entire lives would be in alignment with Jesus and His kingdom.  Paul expressed it this way, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

This alignment doesn’t happen by accident, but is the result of understanding His Word and by the power of the Spirit, responsibly applying it (Phil. 2:11-12).  In other words “fully trained to be like Jesus” implies intentional, comprehensive alignment rather than simply changing a few beliefs.  It is an all-inclusive alignment, impacting our convictions, character, and competencies.  Therefore, Jesus’ form of discipleship is unapologetically invasive, potentially threatening, and consistently uncomfortable.   In many cases, it involves replacing old convictions with radial biblical ones and transforming old behavior patterns into Christ-like character.  Competencies are also impacted as we become skillful soldiers, effective athletes, and patient farmers, who intentionally build up His kingdom (2 Tim. 2:2-7).

Luke emphasizes the identity of a disciple whereas Matthew emphasizes the destiny of a disciple

Students (disciples) are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of My household will be called by even worse names! (Matt. 10:24-25 NLT).

Over the past few centuries, we Americans have enjoyed the cultural support of a faith based life.  Publicly identifying with Christ and His kingdom may have at times been uncomfortable but rarely threatening.  This cultural favor is now eroding.   We are experiencing greater rejection, even hostility, towards faith based living.  Our tendency may be to retreat and hide in the upper story of our mental townhouse.  But discipleship calls us to boldly identify with Jesus and His destiny both publicly and privately.

Down through history, Christ’s disciples have always shared His suffering, but they also shared the hope of His triumph.  The great hope of following Christ is that one day we will share in the indescribable inheritance that is ours in Christ (Eph. 1:11).

 Certified discipleship #1:  Comprehensive alignment (Luke 6:40)

A disciple is one who comprehensively aligns his/her life with Christ and His destiny; whose whole life is being transformed to reflect His nature, beliefs, attitudes, character, values, and purposes. 

Questions for reflection:

1. Can you think of a time along your journey with Christ when He challenged your two-story thinking?
2. Is there an area of your life that is harder to bring under the influence of Christ and His kingdom? Why?

Cognitive dissonance is created when our existing beliefs or conduct comes into conflict or tension with new information.  The cognitive unconscious part of our brain serves as a filter and auto-response mechanism.   It is where our minds store our beliefs and ideas much like pictures.  Once formed, those pictures (schema) are fairly ridged and resistant to change.  But if we are to learn and grow, we must effectively find resolution to the dissonance.

When presented with new information that doesn’t fit our current picture, we automatically choose one of several options to resolve the tension:

1. We simply reject the new data as irrelevant.
2. We modify the new data to fit what we already believe.
3. We bring the old picture into the conscious part of our minds and compare it to the new information being presented. After wrestling with the tensions, we modify the old picture with new truth based on conscious conclusions.

The third option is what Paul calls “renewing our minds” (Romans 12:2).  However, unlike responses one and two, number three requires effort and intentionality over time, requiring more work than most of us want to engage in and so we routinely practice “dissonance avoidance”.

This strategy applied to discipleship assumes that Jesus’ description of discipleship is simply an affirmation of what we are already thinking and doing.  In this way, we eliminate any uncomfortable tension or cognitive dissonance.

At the end of Luke 9 Jesus purposely created cognitive dissonance in the minds of three men.  Each of these three men came to Jesus expressing his desire to be one of His disciples.  However in each case, Jesus, rather than celebrating, challenges their mental picture (their schema) of discipleship, creating cognitive (and emotional) dissonance.  It is not that Jesus rejects their offer; He simply clarifies what they were asking for.  Together these three men give Jesus the opportunity to challenge our mental picture of discipleship.  So before we look at the five marks of a certified disciple (promised in blog 34), I want to highlight three challenges to our cultural picture of discipleship.

The first man illustrates the issue of destiny.  “I will follow You wherever You go”.  A new kingdom with miracles and power sounds exciting.  Count me in!

Jesus response was a gentle but clear, “Really?  Are you sure you understand what that means?”  There was no bait and switch with Jesus.

“Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head (Luke 9:58 NLT).

Jesus clarified that the cross comes before the crown, humility before glory, vulnerability before security.

Peter understood this principle when he rebuked Jesus for saying He was going to Jerusalem to be killed.  I’m sure Peter didn’t want anything to harm his Messiah, but he also understood that if death awaited Jesus, it would likely await him as well.  It was the issue of destiny that Peter struggled with when he denied Jesus three times at the trial.

Paul understood the principle of destiny in his desire to know Christ:

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (Phil. 3:10-11 NLT).

Paul understood that following Christ (knowing), involves the destiny of suffering as well as the power and glory of the resurrection.

Our second potential disciple illustrates the issue of priority.  This man was interested in discipleship, but only after he got his affairs in order.  “But first let me…. then I will.”  Waiting until his father died and was buried was an excuse that sounded reasonable but revealed a deeper issue.  Expressed a little differently, Jesus addressed the same issue in Matt 6:33.  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and (then) all these things will be added to you”

Our version of the priority issue might go like this:

• I will get serious about following Christ once I get my career established and my family raised.
• I will follow once I enjoy life a little more.
• I will follow but I will choose the time and place.

It is not that we don’t intend to follow, but just not now.  It is just not convenient since we have so many things on our agenda that may not be discipleship friendly!

The third man illuminates the issue is duplicity.  Duplicity is when we try and live with two competing values, beliefs, or authorities.  The third man asked to first go home and connect with his friends and family.  Jesus’s response reveals the true intentions in this request.

But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).

This was an old proverb that was intuitively obvious in an agricultural culture.  You can’t plow in a straight line if you are constantly looking backward.  It is not referring to glancing back periodically, but rather trying to hang on to two opposing ideas, beliefs, or authorities.

The Israelites struggled with duplicity after leaving Egypt.  Facing the unknown and challenging future of entering the Promised Land, they longingly looked back to Egypt (Numbers 14:2-4).   They had left Egypt geographically but not in their hearts.

We constantly face the challenge of duplicity: leaving the old and embracing the new, replacing our secular worldview with a biblical one, being in but not of the world.   It has never been easy to discern what needs to be rejected from the culture and what can be integrated into our journey of faith.  But discipleship means we are constantly asking those hard questions.

We are not told how the three men in our story responded to the dissonance Jesus created in their picture of discipleship.  It is not really important.  What is important is how we respond.  Discipleship in poker terms is an “all in” response.  Are we willing to let Scripture challenge our cultural picture of what it means to follow/apprentice Christ?

Reflection:

1. Which of the three men in the story do you mostly identify with and why?
2. What conditions have you placed on your apprenticeship with Christ?

“A breed is a group of domestic animals with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals of the same species.”

In the horse world, as well as other domestic animals, a breed is usually certified by its pedigree.  For example a young Arabian horse is certified as an Arabian breed based on the pedigree of the sire and mare.  But the Rocky Mountain breed is unique.  It is a breed established in 1986 that is certified not only by its pedigree but also by traits that must be observable in each individual horse.

Rocky Mountain horses originated in eastern Kentucky in the late 1800s, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.  They were sure-footed, easy-gaited, and the mount of choice for postmen, doctors, and traveling preachers. People used them for plowing small fields, herding cattle, traveling over the steep and rugged trails, and driving a buggy to church on Sunday.  Horses were not a luxury, but a necessity.  Every horse had to earn its keep and be extremely versatile.  Occasional pleasure riding was rarely if ever an option.  Stamina was also a requirement because after each exhausting day of hard work, the horse had to be able to work just as hard the next day.

A Rocky Mountain horse is only certified when the horse has been officially examined and meets the certifier’s standards regarding:

• HEIGHT
• BODY
• GAIT
• TEMPERAMENT
• COLOR

Within each of these common categories, the Rocky Mountain horse has distinctive parameters.

During the period of the Gospels, discipleship was not uncommon.  There were disciples of Moses, various Rabbis, Socrates, Plato, etc.  Jesus took a common term and gave it His own description.  He called and taught His disciples to be a “breed apart”.  It was not enough to be just a disciple/learner.  As His disciples they were to demonstrate distinctive qualities, without which they were not “certified”.  His apprentices were uncommon men and women who demonstrated certain traits that reflected who Jesus Christ was and what He stood for.

Since making disciples of Jesus Christ is a mission that transcends time and cultures, you would expect that these traits would be transcultural, multi-generational, and applicable throughout history.  They couldn’t be a list of activities such as “goes to the temple to worship” or “doesn’t go to the Coliseum on game days”.  They would need to be qualities that were more embedded in a person’s character: the very DNA of his life.  And that is exactly what we find.

Notice how quickly His disciples were recognized as a breed apart.

“Now as they (the Jewish leaders) observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus” (Act 4:13).

If Jesus gave us a picture of what His disciples look like, we are not free to make up our own version.  We should be able to see similarities in a Chinese, Brazilian, or Swedish disciple regardless of whether he lived in medieval Europe or in 21^st century America.

The George Barna Group was asked by The Navigators a few years ago to do a study to determine the state of discipleship in America.  The opening statements of the executive summary said this:

“A critical component of this study is to define “discipleship.”  The concept is familiar to many, but a widely accepted definition remains elusive. “

You would think by the ambiguity of responses to the question, “What does a disciple of Christ look like?” that we have not been given clear direction other than the overused generic “looks like Jesus”.

A critical reading of the Gospels show us that there are many implied characteristics of discipleship, but Jesus gave only a few definitive statements.  I would suggest that a good starting point for being and making a disciple, is to understand those definitive statements that Jesus made.  Since Christ is the only one who can certify His disciples, we would do well to develop the traits He is looking for and expecting.

In the following blogs I will identify and reflect on the five definitive traits that Jesus said would characterize His disciples.  These traits are not electives from which we can pick and choose.  Like the Rocky Mountain breed, all traits are to be present to receive the certification.  There are a lot of horses, but only a few qualify to be a Rocky Mountain horse.  In a similar way, we are told to become and to make a certain kind of disciple:  a disciple of Christ.

Reflection

1.  If you were on trial in God’s courtroom, accused of being a disciple of Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
2. What are some of the common cultural expectations for a follower of Christ today?  How have they changed over your lifetime?

Success in baseball is simple to explain but much harder to achieve.   The number of hits, errors, base runners, or any other of the myriad stats that go into making baseball interesting, do not count in the end.  All that really matters is the number of players who touch all four bases in a counter clockwise sequence in a particular inning.

Spiritual coaching/mentoring, like baseball, has 4 bases which need to be touched each time you meet.  The bases are the same regardless of the level of maturity or the type of coaching that is taking place.  Whether you are following up a brand new believer or coaching a ministry leader with years of experience, touching these four bases is necessary to create an effective discipling relationship.  The same four are important in face to face meetings or over the phone.  And they are vital in a setting that is formal or informal, structured or unstructured.

The four bases are:  Connection, Exploration, Application and Intercession.  Each time you meet for coaching or mentoring, you need to spend some time on all four areas.  It doesn’t mean you spend equal time on each one, but you should touch each one.  Just like a baseball player may spend extra time on first base before running to second and third to score at home.

An easy way to remember these bases is to think of four questions each time you meet.  Whether the questions are addressed in a formal or casual way is not important.  The important thing is that the heart of each question is addressed each time you meet.  Flexibility is important because the time spent on any one question is adjusted to the current needs of the individuals.  The goal is not equal time on each base but touching each one consistently.

The four bases are as follows:

First Base is about Connection:  “Because we care, what do we need to know?”

Often people feel isolated and are asking the question, “Who knows and who cares?” An effective discipling process creates a safe environment in which people can relate with one another on a deeper level than news, weather, kids, and sports.  Initially this question is answered by sharing personal history.  Gradually it involves more current events that are affecting lives in a positive or negative way. However, people will not feel free to honestly share real and relevant concerns unless they feel safe: confident of continued acceptance and respect.  They must also know confidentiality is strictly adhered to.

Second Base is about Exploration:  “Because God’s Word is true, what are we discovering?”       Scripture needs to form the core of a coaching relationship.  It is our source of perspective and learning (Ps 119:105).  We want to help each person become comfortable and skilled in handling Scripture, able to personally search the Word for answers to life (2 Tim 3:16-17).

This base includes teaching and/or mutually sharing what we are learning.  It can be done by reading and discussing the Word together, discussing a prepared Bible study, or sharing from personal time with the Lord.

Third Base is about Application:  “Because God’s Word is relevant, what is He telling me to do?”

In order to follow Christ on this journey, we need more than knowledge and understanding.  We need application.  Application takes the truths of the Bible and integrates them into the fabric of life.  Maturity comes as we apply God’s truth to our personal, family, and professional life.  Spiritual truth must not be isolated to a “spiritual compartment” while most of our thoughts and energy go into the business of everyday living.  God’s plan is to integrate his truth into all aspects of our everyday, ordinary lives.

A helpful way to think about application is to use the acronym SPECK.  As we reflect on Scripture we should ask ourselves if there is a:

• Sin to avoid?
• Promise to claim?
• Example to follow?
• Command to obey?
• Knowledge (truth) to believe?

Part of the coaching process includes a periodic review of previous applications for the purpose of praying for specific needs and holding one another accountable.

Home Plate is about Intercession:  “Because God cares, how can we support each other in prayer?”

Holding each other up in prayer is critical for spiritual encouragement.  Sharing needs and victories together in the context of prayer, builds a connection and puts the focus on God’s powerful, transforming work in our lives.  Continued prayer during the week is an essential part of effective discipleship.

Reflection:

Can you arrange a time when you meet with another person (or small group) and try using each of the four questions?

Before ascending to the Father, Jesus gave His disciples the mission to disciple the nations.  During the next 250 years, the gospel spread throughout the Roman world and beyond without the aid of political power, military force, financial aid, or educational clout.

The dynamics behind the amazing mission movement was very simple — as it had to be.  It spread through family and relational networks.  This strategy was central in the Old Testament where each Hebrew family was responsible for expanding the kingdom of God from one generation to the next.  It was an organic model of growth involving successive generations.

Ps. 78:5-6  “…He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, That they may arise and tell them to their children.”

Let’s review our description of discipleship to orient where we are.

Discipleship is the personal, persistent pursuit

of knowing, reflecting, and sharing Christ

by means of critical spiritual disciplines (previously discussed)

in the context of supporting relationships, (current discussion)

resulting in the distinctive marks of an apprentice of Christ.

The supportive relationships in a healthy family involve three generations:  Grandparents, parents, and children.  With each generation there is a relationship and a responsibility.  I am referring to that structure as a relational triad.  Notice that Jesus expanded the OT model beyond the physical family, but His discipleship strategy was still through relational generations.  Although He was preaching to the crowds, He was discipling a few who would be the next generation.

The Hebrew strategy was familiar to Paul so we shouldn’t be surprised that he used it when taking the gospel into the Roman world.  He modeled it and then codified it with Timothy (the next generation) when he said, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2Tim 2:2).  Paul (the first generation) was reminding Timothy (the second generation) that what he had learned in the context of many witnesses (a band of second generational brothers), he was to pass on to faithful men (a third generation) who would be able to teach others (continue the pattern of organic disciplemaking).  The strategy for expanding the kingdom was through successive generations of supporting relationships.

Paul, in writing to the believers in Thessalonica, gives additional insight into how he did ministry.  In 1 Thess. 2, Paul reminds the believers that he shared with them not only the gospel but his own life like a nursing mother and an encouraging father. The implication is a highly relational, one to one, strategy.

With his own life as a model, Paul then encourages these new believers to build up “one another”: one by one¹.  With this strategy in mind it is not so surprising to read in Romans 16 that Paul not only refers to people in his ministry by name but includes personal commentary.  They were not a group but individuals that Paul knew personally.  So when Paul gives Timothy a relational strategy (2 Tim. 2:2) he was reminding Timothy of what he had already experienced.  He was to embrace the wisdom of “start small, go slow, build deep”.

Supporting relationships could also be expressed as a relational triad in which each person has a mentor to help him or her grow, peer relationships to give support, and younger Christians to mentor.  Consider the apostle Paul’s own relational triad.  Paul was mentored by several men along his spiritual journey.  Initially it was Ananias (Acts 9). Then it was Barnabas who took Paul under his wing, protected him, and eventually brought him to Antioch to help with the ministry.

As Paul grows in maturity and experience, Barnabas shifts from being a mentor to being a peer along with the other apostles.  They became a support team.  The elders at Antioch also became part of Paul’s support team as they send him and Barnabas on their first missionary journey to Asia Minor.

Of the many Paul mentored, the most familiar are Timothy, Epaphroditus, Titus, and Mark.  Mark’s story reflects the value of having several mentors along the journey.  From our story of Paul’s first missionary trip, we know that Mark didn’t fit into Paul’s idea of a faithful man.  However, Barnabas and Peter stepped in and invested in Mark for several years resulting in his growth and value to Paul later in the story line.

Discipling through the strategy of successive generations, one person at a time, is a proven New Testament strategy.  During the centuries since the initial expansion of Christianity, we have tried other plans, resulting in many converts to Christianity (current world estimate of 2.2 billion), but are we discipling the nations?

Reflection

1. Who are you investing in on a personal level, intentionally passing on what you have learned into the life of another?
2. Who do you have who can speak truth into your life, learn from, and if you make a 911 call, you know they would show up?

¹  1 Thess. 5:1 Roberts Word Studies:  “build up one another” – Literally, build ye, one the one.