Discipling
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by Annie McGuire on “Daily His Disciple” blog (click title for link to site)
A life lived on purpose
all for God’s glory
sowing and reaping
growing and teaching
living in victory,
leading in humility,
loving in entirety,
a devoted heart,
a surrendered will,
a renewed mind,
The Word before the world,
I am His,
always and forever,
Daily His Disciple
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Follow by Melodie Malone
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Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Organic Church by Neil Cole
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“I believe we are leaving the day of the ordained and ushering in the day of the ordinary. It is a time when common Christians will do uncommon deeds because God delights in using weak and foolish things to shame the world. Do not settle for a lesser life.” - Neil Cole
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Matthew 11:28-30
Matthew 26:24-27
Matthew 28:18-20
John 15
Nearness: The Heart of Discipleship
by Wendy Gerdes
What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘disciple?’ Maybe for you the word brings up a list of shoulds and shouldn’ts and a nagging sense that you are failing in some way. Maybe it reminds you of something you are expected to be doing with others but you feel ill-equipped. Perhaps you think of well-structured programs you have been in or even taught. Maybe it brings up fond memories of when another made time for you. One thing is for sure, discipling is God’s heart for his church.
What is at the heart of being a disciple or discipling others?
At its heart, discipleship is an invitation to nearness.
In In the Dust of the Rabbi, Keith Wrassmann says,
“The phrase in the dust of the rabbi refers to the disciple following closely behind his rabbi, so much so that the disciple would literally be walking in the dust kicked up from the rabbi’s feet. It symbolizes the teacher-disciple relationship which often would become closer than the disciple’s relationship with his own father. It symbolizes the adherence of the disciple to the teacher. It symbolizes the disciple’s deep yearning, desire, passion, and willingness to learn everything the rabbi has to teach. It symbolizes where God wants us to be today—and this is the heart of the matter.”*
God wants nearness with us and with others. Only nearness to him creates true disciples with the heart for others to also see.
Anyone can learn what is required of them, what rules must be adhered to and the behaviors needed to belong to a group. Nearness demands something different of us. We cannot be near someone without being intentionally close. In that nearness, we learn their heart, their ways and their intentions.
The Pharisees followed rules, customs and fulfilled the requirements of their religious system, but lacked Jesus’ heart. He was right in front of them and they missed him altogether. They followed a system closely, but lacked the heart of God. They were not Jesus’ disciples - they were disciples in rule following.
In contrast, the Disciples walked closely with Jesus and over time began to look like him. In Luke 9:54 John asked Jesus if he should call down fire on the unrepentant village. Quickly Jesus rebuked him. He had the law but not Jesus’ heart…yet.
Later, the same John wrote I John 4:18 (NIV) “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." This is a far cry from calling down fire on a village of people who did not yet see!
The time spent with Jesus changed John from merely knowing right and wrong to knowing God’s heart for others. Knowing right and wrong called for fire on the unrepentant but knowing Jesus called for love. John’s discipleship to Jesus changed him to be more Christlike and because of this, others saw Jesus through him. His love compelled him to lead others to the love he had found. He has written some of the most well-known love books of the Bible!
John 15:5-17 shows us the heart of discipleship is abiding and the fruit of that abiding is love. God wants us to live with him, not just for him. We do this by incorporating practices in our lives that allow us to notice him in our daily lives and listen for what he may be saying. We do this as we live alongside others. We are not merely following a list of rules and beliefs trying to get others to do the same. We are living a life with Jesus and introducing the ‘with God’ life to the ones in our proximity - sometimes intentionally and sometimes by mere proximity.
May we always notice where we are being invited deeper into relationship with Jesus and the lives of others. May our love continue to grow as we follow him daily and may our lives be characterized by nearness to him. And because of our nearness to him, may we introduce others to our friend and Teacher, Jesus.
*Keith Wrassmann, “In the Dust of the Rabbi” Theologia Blog, July 10, 2012, https://theologia.blog/index.php/2012/07/10/in-the-dust-of-the-rabbi