Spiritual journey

I was talking with my associate pastor and asked him what the percentage of church attenders (we have a church of 1,500) became Christians, were maybe even baptized, and they stopped their spiritual journey. Now, they are still learning and coming to church, but they are not actively on a spiritual journey any longer. He said 80%. In fact, he was worried that a majority of them were not really followers of Christ as all, they took their route as a life insurance policy in case there really was a hell.

Why have some found Jesus, the giver of life, and then stop seeking for more? Seeking is the way we live. Seeking has a lot of dimensions – just like the faces of a diamond. I believe that God wants to be wanted, even sought.

That brings me to reading John 3:1-8 – the story of Jesus talking with a seeker.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus^[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again^[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.^[c] Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You^[d] must be born again.’ The wind^[e]blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

It was a discussion about how to see and enter the kingdom of God.

May I suggest that there needs to be a reframing of my understanding of what it means to be a Christian, a disciple/follower of Jesus, in order to discern the difference between a fan and a follower. In other words, are we part of God’s kingdom or are we exiles?

So these questions become important. How do I understand what a Christian is? How do I comprehend the necessary change that happens when I become a Christian? What is the irreducible essence of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus? At the end of the day I need to understand that there is a distinction between being interested in the teaching of Jesus and trusting Jesus as my Saviour.

A more difficult day

Today is a day where I learned a lot – the life of one being discipled – but no real challenge to be – except maybe for the usual. In other words, nothing unusual in my readings. Let me share some brief learnings.

And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.” – Joshua 14:10-12 ESV

My takeaway – I can ask the Lord for some geography to claim for Him. I recently did this about a month ago. I asked God for the city of Barrie and it is my prayer that He will give it to me. I also asked for Alliston but I think that town I am supposed to serve in rather than conquer.

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly,^[a] holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.^[b] And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.^[c]) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” – Mark 7:1-5 ESV

This is real hard for me. I cannot discern between when it is right or wrong to follow tradition and the law and when to apply grace. I mean when David ate the bread that only priests were allowed to eat – I would never had done that. I might have broken another law or two but not that one. I still struggle but I use one principle that seems to set me at ease – Love God, Love people. If I can do that in my comings, and goings and musings, I think I can be the person of love that God wants me to be, even though I may get it wrong from time to time.

Lifestyle

Mark chapter six is so long and filled with so much and I found a few gems to grow from.

Jesus used truth, example and assignment to build into the lives of His disciples with the end goal of them being a people of faith, hope and love.

Imagine going back to your hometown – definitely unpredictable and most likely impossible. Jesus took them there to show them how some of their assignments might end up.

First thing – sharing the gospel with family has been something I have noted before and others have as well. Here are the results. So while we do, we also learn what rejection looks like. If you remember the last visit – they wanted to throw Jesus off a cliff. So when He arrives there are no crowds or people waiting for Him. There is no one glad to see Him. He has to wait for Saturday in order to speak to people at the temple.

They acknowledge the wisdom and power but they cannot see the truth of who He is. The only thing they see is His family relations. Funny thing about their logic – they think Jesus is trying to be more than He really is. The call to repent is actually quite offensive. This sounds so familiar to me.

While this was one example that turns out to be the most encouraging to me, I loved that the twelve still had to be sent out and they still did go out. Rejection is not an excuse not to do or be what Jesus has called us to do and be.

So the twelve are sent out. There is something about communicating the good news in person – by word of mouth. Jesus stressed more the how they would preach as opposed to what they would preach. That preaching was more than their words, but their lifestyle as well. The was the next example that I learned.

Near the end of the chapter, I am challenged and yet encouraged even though I see the Church sometimes as the ship at sea, tossed with storms and not comforted. Christ does walk with me even though there may be wind and waves against me. No difficulties can hinder what Jesus wants to do for me. When the time is right He silences my fears and makes Himself known to me. It is well with my soul just as long as Jesus walks with me.

Somehow my smile in knowing this is the best part of what I look like when people think there is something different about the way I live.

13th Disciple

Rahab

How many 13th disciples have you already discovered as we have engaged with the idea of discovering what a disciple of Jesus looks like?

Rahab is another one I discovered this morning with a unique twist.

And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction.^[e] Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. – Joshua 6:17

I never thought of this before – but Rahab could have left with the spies and saved herself too. She didn’t – she stayed so that her and her family could be saved. She loved her family and wanted them to be set free too. What an encouragement to me to keep praying for my family members who have yet to experience the good news of Jesus. I pray that they will see my love for them.

If I truly believe that my walk with Jesus looks like I love God and love people then those principles should affect my beliefs and behaviours. It is my deepest prayer that my real life changes and that I realize God’s kingdom objectives. I have expectations when I enter a relationship, start a new job, read a book, attend a course, enrol in a class or enter a training program. If I had to name one key learning objective I hope will be realized in my experience it is this one.

And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” – Mark 5:19 ESV

In fact, I could name the demonic as another 13th disciple too. There is so much of work to be done to extend the Kingdom of God. Am I ready to be the next disciple?

Here is a prayer that works for me when life seems like it’s not.

Save me, O God!
    For the waters have come up to my neck.^[a]
I sink in deep mire,
    where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
    and the flood sweeps over me.
I am weary with my crying out;
    my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
    with waiting for my God. Psalm 69:1-3 ESV

Joshua

Georg Friedrich Händel – JOSHUA

Joshua lived with so many gifts – as Moses’ assistant/servant, successor, military commander, courageous spy, a model for all of Israel’s future kings. I loved that he possessed the Lord’s spirit, participated in the prophetic. He stirred up the faith of his army by ceremony, word, and life demanding of them obedience to God’s word. He was such a spiritual disciple of Moses in so many ways – a military genius and a spiritual giant all in one. If I had to call out what verses explained him the best it would be Joshua 1:1-9.

Joshua was teachable, eager to learn, faithful, available and had a heart for God. It would seem that some of the best disciples are those who have been discipled over a long period of time. I missed that experience somewhat.

I believe that Joshua carried on the spiritual blessing given to Adam and Eve referring to the multiplication of a righteous people. I believe it actually shows up so many times in the Old Testament and again leads us to the Great Commission.

Psalm 37 has some instructions along these lines.

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. – Psalm 37:3 ESV

We create and construct peaceable occupation by successive generations following God. This particular Psalm challenges me how I teach those I am discipling.

When I read an account of Jesus, such as the one found in Mark 4: 33-34 …

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

How do I share stories and how do I share relevant stories? When I read further on in Mark, how do I relate the human and divine side of Jesus when reading about the storm?

Joshua helps me a bit in this end for his life gives me the human side that has wide arms open for the divine. Very thankful for the life of Joshua and to know and be part of his story.