What is Discipleship?

Jesus speaks a great deal about discipleship. The primary passages used in this article are Matthew 10:24-33. If you can, whip out that Bible of yours or go to http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2010:24-33&version=NASB. Ask God to speak to you through His words.

Now, Matthew 10:25 says it like this: “It is enough for the disciples that he become likes his teacher, and the slave like his master.” The purpose of discipleship is to make more disciples.

But the passage goes beyond mere discipleship, verse 27 says: “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops.” Go into the world and reveal Jesus to them! Verses 32 and 33 say this: “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”

Discipleship is reproduction–making more disciples–but it is also going into the world and proclaiming the word of God.

Matthew 13: The Most Important Parable

Matthew 13 details Jesus’ most important parable: the Parable of the Sower. Mark 8:4-15 puts it much more concisely however. You can pick which to read. I’m going to feel through Matthew 13. So, let’s dive!

“Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soul. But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears let him hear.”

First of all, know that the seed which the sower sowed is the Word of God. Next, notice that the sower sowed on all the ground–not just the good soil, he sowed on the path and the rocks and the thorns. He sowed carelessly. Likewise, we Christians are called to sow the word of God into all lives–paths, rocks, thorns, and good soil. We are not the judge of the soil–God is. Sow generously, sow carelessly.

Second, why am I explaining this? Jesus does the work for me:

“Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heard and return and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

“Hear, then, the parable of the sower: when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown n his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one on whom seed is sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it comes unfruitful. And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

Not only is this for our own benefit in that we are to examine what kind of soil we are, but it is also a call. We are sowers of the word, Christians. We are the ones God ordained to go into the world and spread His word–we are the sowers, and we are to sow carelessly, sharing the word with all people everywhere.

Notice also that only 1/4 of the seed actually produced fruit. The sower sowed generously, and he reaped only a quarter of what he sowed. How then should we Christians be sowing the word of God and allowing the Spirit to work?

We are to minister to people in their iniquity, and bring them our of their sin. Provide them with the transformation of Christ. In order to come into the kingdom, you must repent. Call people out of their sin and into a relationship with Christ. People need to see their need for Jesus, or they will not repent.

I know that I do not live by this verse. Did not, maybe. I sowed seeds in a select few: the soil I got to know, this patch of ground and that. I did not spray the seed everywhere, as this parable instructs us to. Now, I want to spread the word of God everywhere. I am a sower of the Word of God, and I will reap. If you don’t sow, how can you reap? Even if it is only a quarter of all that I sow, it will be worth it.

Are You a 412er?

You are a young adult.

That sentence could win the “Most Obvious Statement of the Year” Award.  It’s obviously not so profound. Bear with me–I do have a point.

What does it mean?  As a young adult, modern society looks at you and lowers its expectations drastically.  After all, with the common perception of college students being what one finds on www.collegecandy.com (for ladies) or www.collegehumor.com (for men), why would anyone expect more?  Popular culture says you’ve got to engage in sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll to fit the stereotype.  Alex and Brett Harris, founders of www.therebelution.com, said in their book, Do Hard Things, that, “In today’s world, the ceiling for our youth is much closer to where the floor ought to be.”  We have become so numb, apathetic, and passive that we’re willing to allow popular culture to tell us how to live.  We allow ourselves to live through college as a four-year extension of high school, accepting little to no responsibility, only this time out from under our parents’ thumb.  Well, I’m proposing something new.

1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” This doesn’t exactly fit the images we’re flooded with every day, like “live life while you’re young” and “obey your thirst.”  Let’s take up this challenge. Let’s become examples of Christianity on our campuses. Let’s make people look at us twice.  Let’s change the stereotype. Let’s be the radicals. Let’s do the truly hard things.

I propose we become 412ers, young people taking up the reigns of leadership and igniting the world, changing the way people perceive us.  Start a Bible Study, begin tutoring other students, organize a mission trip, invite people to serve the community with you, start playing in your churches worship team, volunteer at the local homeless group, write a letter to the editor of your local paper, start a book club, listen to someone’s problems, the possibilities are endless! All you have to do is get up and do it. If youth around the nation can do this, we can change the definition of young adult.  Suddenly, it won’t be a bad thing.

Are you a 412er?

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

The Meaning of Life

An Ageless Search
What is the meaning of life? This is one of the most frequently asked questions by all of humanity since the beginning of time. It is a question naturally asked by people because they have the ability to make choices about life. The question would appear to be difficult to answer and different for every individual depending on their circumstances. It is the ultimate search for truth and purpose in life; the reason we were born, wake up everyday and exist.

The Truth
Although people have struggled for the purpose of their existence throughout history, the answer for the meaning of life is relatively simple and the same for everyone; it is to love God by choosing to have a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.

How to Move Forward
Once you understand the meaning of life, the next step is choosing to follow God’s plan for your life.  God made you for a specific purpose; however, before you can fulfill that purpose, you need to establish a relationship with God.

How to Fulfill Your Mission
The challenge to the meaning of life is being faithful to the calling of God and being dedicated to fulfilling the purpose that He created you for by accomplishing your life mission. The Holy Bible addresses these issues clearly to give people answers about how to lead their life in every circumstance, from poor to rich, from health to illness, from strong to weak, and from spiritual to sinful. Everybody has limiting circumstances, but God gives people this ultimate life instruction book called the Bible to help them understand how to make the right choices throughout their changing life. Learn about what God wants for you and submit to His plan for a life of fulfilling significance.