Wednesday, February 24

Luke 18:22-23

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing.  Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”  When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.

Reflection

This passage teaches us a sad fact.  Some people can see and understand the demonstration of what it means to follow Jesus and they know what they need to do but they cannot bring themselves to do it.  Even Jesus demonstrating the way that needs to be taken to follow him did not reach everyone.

One of the things we must realize as we go to make disciples is that not everyone will respond.  No matter how well we demonstrate the life of Jesus through our lives there will be some people who will choose another way. 

What should be our response?  We should pray for them but we have to allow them to make their choice.  Notice that Jesus did not run after this man when he decided not to follow Jesus.  Jesus allowed him to make his choice and we need to do the same thing.

Think about a time when someone you tried to influence for the gospel chose a different way.  How did that make you feel?  How did you respond?

Tuesday, February 23

Luke 18:18-21

A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  “Why do you call me good?”  Jesus answered.  “No one is good – except God alone.  You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”  “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

Reflection

This is another example of how Jesus taught how to follow him through the principle of demonstration.  When the man asked Jesus how to receive eternal life Jesus reminded him about that which he already knew. 

Jesus opened up the reality of God’s word for him. 

However, not only did Jesus point this man to the truth of God; Jesus also lived out these principles in his life as well.  Jesus wasn’t saying, “Do what I say but not what I do.”  Jesus demonstrated all the principles of discipleship that he wanted to teach to this man.

That is one of the questions we need to consider.  Do we demonstrate our discipleship in our lives?  When people look at our lives is there enough evidence to indicate that we are followers of Jesus.  We cannot teach people how to follow Jesus if we do not demonstrate the principles of discipleship in our lives.

Examine your life.  Do you find evidence that shows you are living as a disciple of Jesus?

Monday, February 22

John 13:13-15

It was just before the Passover Feast.  Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.  Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.  The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.  Jesus knew the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Reflection

I am sure this passage of scripture seems very familiar.  It has turned up in sermons and in the journals prior to this time.  However, there is much to learn from this passage.

Jesus is putting the principle of demonstration into action.  Jesus is living out what he wants his disciples to learn and then do themselves.  He wants them to live out sacrificial servant love.  So, Jesus shows them how to do it.  That’s what we must do when we are making disciples.  We need to demonstrate what it means to follow Jesus in our lives.  Then, as we spend time with those who have not come to Jesus they can see what a life following Jesus looks like.

However, all of this assumes that we are living and willing to following the footsteps of Jesus.  The only way we can demonstrate how to be a disciple of Jesus is to be a disciple of Jesus.  That means that we must obey and follow Jesus’ commands.  If we are living a life of willful disobedience towards Jesus then we will never be able to demonstrate what discipleship truly is.

How have you demonstrated being a disciple of Jesus in your life? 

Do you have issues of obedience that you need to deal with so that you can be a disciple that demonstrates the way of Jesus?

February 21-27

Demonstration

John 13:13-15, Luke 18:18-30

Another component of making disciples is demonstration.  That means we must demonstrate what it is to be a disciple.  We need to live discipleship.  As we spend time and build relationships with those who have yet to come to know Jesus’ saving love and grace, we need to live Christ’s example of discipleship before them.  As they spend time with us we can demonstrate what it means to be a disciple and they can learn how to be a disciple.

Demonstration is an important part of disciple making.  Think for a moment.  How do we learn to do most things?  We learn by having someone else show us how to do it.  To be quite honest, that is the entire principle of teaching: showing people how to do that which they don’t know how to do.  That is the way we can make disciples of Jesus.  We disciple them into the ways of Jesus.  We demonstrate for them how to be a disciple.  That is what we are going to consider this week.

Saturday, February 20

2 Corinthians 5:21

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Reflection

We finally come to The Great Exchange.  Jesus became your sin!  In return, you get the righteousness from God – sinlessness represented by the life and death of Jesus Christ!

This is the only truly GREAT EXCHANGE!  We desperately need this exchange.  But before we can accept it, each of us (individually) needs to realize that we need this exchange.  Until we humbly and “poor in spirit” accept the fact that we can’t do this on our own, we can’t accept it.  But when we do accept this exchange – our sinfulness for Christ’s righteousness – we truly receive the GREAT EXCHANGE.

Have you accepted this great exchange?  If so, what does that mean to you?

If you have not accepted this great exchange, what in your life prevents you from doing that?

Friday, February 19

Philippians 4:7-9

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

Reflection

After going through the reasons that Paul should trust in himself, he comes to the conclusion that all that he talked about (in Philippians 4:4-6 that we read yesterday) he is willing to give up for knowing Christ.  What he had gained on his own (before knowing Christ) is garbage.  Paul now realizes that all of his accomplishments gain him nothing.

The only thing that profits him is knowing the righteousness that he attains by having faith in Christ.  This is the only righteousness that comes from God and it is not what he can do on his own.  Christ has already done it for him.

Think about your past.  What you have gained (what have you done on your own) that is worth exchanging for what having faith in Christ can do for you?