The Adventure 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.

The keel is an essential part of every sailboat.  It is basically a flat blade sticking down into the water from a sailboat’s bottom. It has three functions: it creates forward motion, it prevents the boat from being blown sideways by the wind, and it holds the ballast (counterweight) that keeps the boat right-side up.  Pretty simple, right?   Also very essential.

Utilizing our sailing metaphor one more time, the keel could represent faith.  We cannot spiritually sail in God’s direction without it.  The mast of discipline, the sails of spiritual practices, and the tiller of obedience are useless without the keel of faith that keeps us from capsizing or drifting in the wind.  Although hidden from view, the keel of faith is an essential part of turning wind power into forward progress.

The writer of Hebrews declares that without faith (our keel) it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).  The author also describes faith as assurance, conviction, and evidence of things not seen.  The Amplified translation states that faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses (Hebrews 11:1).

Sailing paraphrase:  Without the keel of faith which is the conviction of an unseen reality, we cannot successfully sail under the power of the Spirit of God.

Webster defines believing as the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without other evidence; the judgment that what another states or testifies is the truth.

However, biblical faith is more than cognitive acknowledgement that what is declared is true.  It includes “trust” which implies a conviction strong enough to inspire action in line with the belief.  Faith and hope are very similar but with a slight difference.  Faith sees what is real but invisible while hope sees what is real but not yet.  Faith is a function of visibility, hope a function of time.

It is important to remember that faith does not create reality; it captures it.  Therefore, biblical faith is not superstition, fantasy, or optimism.  It is the lens by which we can see what is real though not visible to the natural eye.  Our culture would have us think that science is comprised of the world of facts while religion is the world of faith; science is real while religion is pretending, superstitious, illusionary or imagined.  In reality we all live by faith.  The only difference is the faith lens we use.

For example, a faith lens used in science is illustrated by the electromagnetic spectrum.  Our eyes are excellent receivers of visible light.  However, visible light is but a small part of the total electromagnetic spectrum of energy waves.  The rest are real but invisible.

Our eyes cannot “see” infrared rays, but they are real nonetheless and we feel their effects on a sunny day.  However, when we attach a lens specifically tuned to that range of frequency, we can “see” what is normally invisible.  Night vision goggles are a type of lens that allows us to see the infrared radiation (IR) given off by living bodies even in the absence of visible light.  Our IR lens does not create reality; it reveals it.

Another example is found in astronomy.  Scientists boldly claim the existence of black holes and dark matter even though they have no lens that actually “sees” them (hence the term “black”).  But they believe (faith) that they are there because of the evidence for them.  They even conclude that most galaxies have a black hole totally based on evidence not visual sight.  These cosmic phenomena are believed because they fit the observable data or information.

As apprentices of Christ we must have a keel of faith:  the confident belief that God’s Word is true and the courageous conviction to move in the direction of that reality.  Faith, as our keel, keeps us moving forward, avoiding the dangers of capsizing or drifting in the chaotic cultural currents of our world.

We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming (Eph. 4:14).

Learning to sail takes knowledge, skill, and practice and it involves knowing our resources and how to use them.  We are more inclined to row than to sail, but only sailing allows us to experience our new journey of life in Christ.  The conclusion is we need to take advantage of every opportunity to further our sailing skills by looking for sailing coaches who can model and instruct us in the art of spiritual sailing.

Next time I will look at the next part of our discipleship description:  The relational context of an apprentice of Christ and His kingdom.

Reflection:

1. What faith based truths are hard for you to trust and live by?
2. How has your keel of faith expanded and allowed you to see more of God’s invisible reality?

Small sailboats are steered by a simple lever called a “tiller” which is attached to the rudder.  Continuing the metaphor of discipleship and sailing, I want to add one other similarity.  We have said that in order to capture the invisible, renewable power of the wind of the Spirit, we need to rig the sails of spiritual practices on a mast of self-discipline.  But to pursue our course of pleasing God (doing His will) we need a means to steer our sailboat.

The “tiller” or steering device is what a sailor uses to keep the bow (front) of the boat pointed in the direction that maximizes the current wind conditions.  Unlike a motor powered boat, a sailboat does not steer in a straight line to its destination.  A sailor is constantly adjusting for the strength and direction of the wind as well as the currents.  The sailor’s path to his/her destination is a series of zigzags that are called “tacks” in nautical language.  Because the strength and direction of the wind is constantly changing, a sailor cannot simply be on autopilot.  He must constantly be sensitive and adjust to the wind.

Pressing our metaphor a little farther, an apprentice of Christ is one who walks by the Spirit, sensing and adjusting to His voice in the context of everyday life.  Our spiritual tiller is our response to what the Spirit is showing us in the Word.  That response involves obedience, but it is much more than following a list of rules or commands.   It is about discerning and complying with the will and pleasure of our King.  It is about aligning our lives with His will, ways, values, purposes, promises, as well as specific commands.  The tiller makes this possible as it maneuvers us into position to capture the wind in our sails, to keep us pointed in the right direction, to be sensitive to the Spirit and to thus live the life that pleases the Lord.

There is another interesting parallel of the sailboat tiller and alignment with God’s will.  The tiller, connected directly to the rudder operates in a counter-intuitive way; you move the tiller right to go left and vice versa.  Initially God’s ways also seem counter-intuitive.  His Kingdom functions in a way that is opposite of our culture and natural inclinations.  Jesus said in His Kingdom:

• To be first you must be last
• The greater reality is not what is seen but what is unseen
• Getting comes by giving
• Honor comes by humility
• Strength comes through weakness
• Influence comes through serving

It takes some practice (and faith) to live in a kingdom way.  It also takes intentionality to step in the direction of our faith.  When we are obedient, the power of the Spirit is released.  This pattern is consistent throughout Scripture.

A classic Old Testament example occurs when the children of Israel finally get to the Jordan River under Joshua’s leadership.  God tells them not only to cross the river with no bridges but to cross it at flood stage, making the difficult impossible.  He instructs the priests to take the ark and precede the people in crossing the swollen river.  Only when they stepped into the water, did He stop the flow upstream.  Had they not gotten their feet wet, they would not have experienced His power (Joshua 3:13).

Jesus’ pattern in healing people was to ask them to do the impossible.  He asked the man with the withered hand to stretch it out (Matt. 12:13).  He asked the paralytic man to get up from his bed and walk (Luke 5:24).  He told Peter if he was to walk on water, he would have to get out of the boat (Matt. 14:28-29).  As they took action in the direction of their faith and God’s Word, they experienced His power.  Now as then, obedience releases the power of the Spirit of God to live the life He has chosen for us.

Our alignment/obedience to all that He has commanded is the response of an apprentice of Christ.  Our hand is on the tiller of our lives.  It is our action, choices, and responses that determine the direction of our sailboat.  It take more than the wind, mast, and sails.  It takes sensitivity to the gentle wind of the Spirit of God and obedient hands on the tiller to align ourselves with Christ.  Only then can we counter the cultural currents and arrive safely at our destination.

          Those who trifle at the tiller risk the wrath of the waves. (Anonymous marooned sailor)

*DA Carson, For The Love of God, Volume Two (Wheaton:  Crossway, 1999)

Reflection:

1. What additional counter-intuitive kingdom ways can you think of?
2. What are some implications of thinking “alignment” vs. “commands”?
3. Can you think of a time in your spiritual journey where you had to step out in the direction of your faith before you sensed His power?