Shine Jesus Shine
You know how Jesus taught in parables? Most of us have probably heard the reason why, in fact, I know that when I am communicating my best, it is when I use a story to illustrate a point.
When I do communicate that way, I am doing something else. I am trusting the Holy Spirit to do His job in making sure my audience understood what I was trying to say. I am sure we have heard the “preacher” think it is best run over their audience with the truth – it is just not the way Jesus did it. It isn’t God’s plan.
These were the words Jesus quoted from Isaiah by Jesus in Matthew 13:14-15:
Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
This is why I am starting to make the differentiation between the initial and possible emotional response and a life changing permanent discipleship. In the parables here in Matthew 13, germination referred to the first and fruit-bearing to the second.
Look at this little nugget of a parable – fits into one verse.
And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” – Matthew 13:52
Literally there is a call to dispose and not display – meaning if I am a disciple, my task is to make another disciple. I believe the scribe is a discipling disciple – the treasure they have gained is a treasure they pass out to others. That was my most exciting find today!
So making disciples is a holistic endeavor that requires me to rummage around my treasury, pulling out the new and the old, and giving away my possessions of wisdom, knowledge and memories, to those who may benefit from them. If any of my treasures have not come from my experience, then I become a teacher, but if I have followed Christ in obedience to His word, then I become a disciple-maker.
Disciple 