Making Disciples (John 8:31-36; Acts 6:7-8)
Listen.October 26th, 2008
Rev. Dr. Craig A. Wagner
Introduction
As the World Series is being played this year, even though most of us in Chicago really do not care about the teams involved, I began to reminisce about my love of baseball. When I was a child one of my favorite things to do was to play ball. Whether I played on a Little League team or in school, it didn’t matter, I just wanted to play.
One of the fantasies that recurred whenever we played ball, especially as a child, was to identify a major league player who we would try to emulate. In so doing, I remember trying to adapt my stance at home plate to reflect the stance of my major league hero. I’d try to swing the bat the way he did. In the field I would try to copy the way he stood and the way he would wear his hat, perhaps even purchase the glove that had his name on it: I still remember my Nellie Fox glove!
Today I see a lot of people walking around with professional sports jerseys on with the name of their favorite player. This would make it a bit more difficult if you ever decide to change heroes! And of course, it really gets confusing when you see a bunch of people with Soriano on their backs; which one is the real one?
The point is that when we admire someone we often attempt to imitate that person. Today as we think about being a disciple of Jesus Christ, we are challenged to consider how we are learning from Jesus, imitating him and living according to his teachings.
Disciples increase in numbers
In the first week of our Living the Mission emphasis, we discovered that our mission as Christ followers is to make disciples. We are challenged to reach out and to teach people to obey all that Christ commanded. Disciples really have no option but to make other disciples who then make other disciples and so on. This morning, we consider what it means to be a disciple. First of all, a disciple is a learner, a student of someone. A disciple is a person who really wants to know what their teacher is saying. They will read the works of the teacher, they will listen intently to the teacher; they will immerse themselves in the philosophy of that teacher. The first disciples of Jesus accompanied him around and listened intently to what he had to say. Great crowds gathered around Jesus and he taught them about the Kingdom of God.
Secondly, the disciple will want to imitate their teacher. Perhaps some will adopt the same dress code; wear the name on a jersey; or begin to do what the teacher or leader does. The early disciples of Jesus literally proclaimed the good news of Jesus through healing people and caring for people and showing love toward people. We remember that Jesus sent them out two by two into the region and into the towns around the area. They not only imitated the teacher, they lived according to the principles laid down by their Savior.
Last week, we read the opening verses of chapter 6 and we discovered how that early Christians cared for the widows in their community. Remember how they chose 7 men from among the believers who were raised up for a servant leadership in serving tables and creating a system so that all would be cared for and none discriminated against?
As they organized themselves so that care would be extended to all in need, the outside community would see how these early Christians truly loved one another. They were imitating and living out what they had learned from Jesus; to love one another as he had loved them. That was extremely attractive to those outside the community and would draw them in.
This morning in the two brief verses from Acts 6, we discover that as the Word of God continued to spread, the number of disciples increased greatly. The good news of Jesus was touching the hearts of many people. We read that even some who were priests in the temple began hearing the Word and seeing how the disciples lived and they joined the community. We do not read that they received any special consideration or any sort of elevated position. Rather, they became part of the community and picked up their ministry among the people.
Stephen is mentioned again in the passage. Last week we read that he was one of the believers who had been selected to wait on tables. Today we find that he obviously did more than that. He did many signs and wonders among the people. He was filled with the grace of God. He was spirit led. Disciples were being made. They learned, they imitated and they lived the teachings of Jesus.
Our discipleship
If we take seriously the command to make disciples, we need to focus on our lives as disciples of Jesus. Our focus centers on those three initiatives of discipleship: learning, imitating and living. During the past six weeks, we have been learning a variety of themes that earmark what a follower of Jesus is about. As we move through the book, Living the Mission, we have been learning about what it means to take up the challenge and to focus our lives more and more on being the type of disciple that Jesus wants.
We have learned about living in community, about being the good news and preaching the good news, about living in the spirit and using the gifts of the spirit in our ministries in this community. Learning is essential for a disciple. This includes learning from our book, but most especially it includes learning from scripture. There is a call for a disciple to be biblically literate. We are to be centered in the word. If you have an operations manual at work wouldn’t you read it to find out what is to be done?
A disciple is a person who admires the leader or teacher so much that they want to imitate their actions, perhaps even their speech pattern so that they will reflect the teacher. Are we the kind of people who want to imitate Christ? It’s not just about what would Jesus do? It is also about “How would Jesus act?” “What would Jesus say?” Imitation of Jesus goes to the heart of discipleship. How do we spend our time? With whom do we spend our time? What sort of prayer life do we have? Do we take time for solitude and silence or other disciplines as disciples? Isn’t it true that in the word discipline we find disciple? How do we use our resources, our money and our talents? We are called to imitate Jesus and reflect him and his presence in all we do.
Eventually, as we learn and imitate Jesus we begin to live all of life reflecting and focusing on the Lord. The life we live will be lived in Christ. We will become disciples who share God’s love in Jesus with all those with whom we come in contact. The Word that guides our lives and motivates us will be shared with others. Our community of faith will be like a light shining in the darkness of the world and people will want to be a part of our community.
However, when we fail to learn and imitate Jesus then our lives reflect other things, other passions, other leaders and teachers. As we learn from Jesus we also learn where we fail, where we sin and fall short and do not measure up to lives of discipleship. May God forgive us and turn us back to Jesus’ way.
God’s love for us
As we speak about disciples and as we think about the concepts of learning, imitating, and living in Christ and for Christ, we need to always understand that we’re not speaking nor advocating that we can earn our way into the Kingdom. We are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus. BUT THEN we are to strive to live according to Jesus’ standards. If we fail to do that we have made the grace of God into a cheap and meaningless concept.
This morning is Reformation Sunday and it is also Confirmation Sunday in our congregation. The Confirmands are making their statement of faith and promising to live lives as disciples of Jesus. Confirmation is not graduation. It is not the end, rather the beginning of a deeper life in Christ and in the community of faith. They proclaim the faith that their parents and sponsors proclaimed for them in their baptism. Now as young adults they make their own commitment to live as Jesus desires them to live.
As they profess their faith their desire to live as disciples in the world today, let’s make our confession to renew and refocus our lives as disciples of Jesus who will by our words and deeds and attitudes make disciples. As our lives are focused on Christ we will find lives that are lived abundantly and filled with meaning and purpose. In these days of uncertainty, the one thing that remains solid and secure is the good news of life in Christ Jesus. Though everything else comes falling down God’s word and promise is solid. As Christ followers, let’s learn, imitate and live the love of Jesus.
Conclusion
In the book, Living the Mission, there is an excerpt from Max Lucado’s book, Just like Jesus. In that passage, he challenges the reader to live for 24 hours as though Jesus had become that person. What would it be like if Jesus were to become you? Without changing your schedule or daily activities would people notice a behavioral change? Would your stress be at a different level? What would your mood be like? How would you relate to other? If Jesus were you for 24 hours and your life would be lived differently, then perhaps discipleship needs to be renewed and life needs to focus more upon Christ. Disciples of Jesus reflect Jesus. Disciples learn, imitate and live fully devoted lives in the Lord….and then the spirit will move others to be led by our words and actions to become followers and disciples will be made who will make disciples, who will make disciples and so on.
Remember this week: learn, imitate and live a life focused on Jesus. Amen.