Patterns of Discipleship . . .OR . . . Being Seen and Seeing Differently
Sabbath School Class—A Life of Discovery
March 29, 2008
Larry R Evans
1. Christ’s compassion knew no bounds. [Mt 14:14; 6:34; Lk 7:13] True or False?
2. The heart full of compassion forgives. [Eph 4:32] True or False?
3. Christ reversed the culture of His day by marginalizing the rich rather than the poor. [Lk 16:19-31; 18:9] True or False?
4. It is wrong to have national pride? [Acts 17:26] True or False?
5. The closer one comes to God the less time one needs to spend in “formal” prayer. [Lk 5:15,16; 6:12,13] True or False? See Nouwen, p.29
6. Disciple-making impacts more than beliefs and behavior. [Jn 5:39-42; 12:1-7; 4:27-30] True or False? (If this is true then what else could it be?)
Introductory Reflections
One of my favorite books was written by a man named Henri Nouwen who wrote,
“Beneath all the great accomplishments of our time there is a deep current of despair. While efficiency and control are the great aspirations of our society, the loneliness, isolation, lack of friendship and intimacy, broken relationships, boredom, feelings of emptiness and depression, and a deep sense of uselessness fill the hearts of millions of people in our success-oriented world.” Henri J.M. Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership, pp.20-21.
Nouwen has caused me to stop and ponder the world in which I live. There are so many reminders that what I think I see, i.e. “great accomplishments of our time”, may actually be a diversion from what I ought to see, i.e. “deep. . . despair.” For example, I think of the woman Jesus met at the well. (Jn 4:1-42) He saw beyond the outward pretense. He saw a heart still receptive to His Spirit though calloused by a life that seemed to be destined to sin, abuse, loneliness and despair. But Jesus saw her differently. What he saw made a difference in her life and in the life of all those she would later meet. When joined by his disciples, He asked “What do you see?, suggesting that “seeing”—really seeing—is something that can be learned. Instead of seeing the white turbans of the Samaritans, Jesus saw crowds which could yield a rich “harvest”. What we see, what we learn to see, is part of being a disciple of Jesus. Learning to see ourselves and others differently can change us and our world.
1. Christ’s compassion knew no bounds. [Mt 14:14; 6:34; Lk 7:13] True
A review of Christ’s ministry reveals a profound trait: He loved people. His compassion for them often meant He had to forgo his own needs. Take for example what happened after he learned of the beheading of John the Baptist, his cousin. Note the biblical description:
Matt 14:13-16
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."
16 Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." (NIV)
The Gospel writers were very intentional in describing the compassion of Christ whether it be with large crowds, a blind man, a leper or weeping women who had lost a loved one. In the midst of personal grief, Jesus had compassion for them. He modeled the kind of discipleship He wanted to create.
Note these insightful thoughts from Ellen White: “Jesus carried the awful weight of responsibility for the salvation of men. He knew that unless there was a decided change in the principles and purposes of the human race, all would be lost. This was the burden of His soul, and none could appreciate the weight that rested upon Him. Through childhood, youth, and manhood, He walked alone. . . .” [Ellen White in Our Father Cares, p. 284]
Jesus saw the world differently. He not only saw the sickness that needed to be healed. He saw the deeper issues of life and the purposes for which each had been born.
REFLECTION: How was it possible that Jesus saw people differently? Is that a possibility for us?
2. The heart full of compassion forgives. [Eph 4:32] True
Eph 4:29-32
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (NIV)
“Building others up” . . . it sounds so good but can we do it for those who have treated us badly?
REFLECTION: How do we build others up “according to their needs?”
“The religion of Jesus softens whatever is hard and rough in the temper, and smooths whatever is rugged and sharp in the manners. It makes the words gentle and the demeanor winning. Let us learn from Christ how to combine a high sense of purity and integrity with sunniness of disposition. A kind, courteous Christian is the most powerful argument that can be produced in favor of Christianity.
Kind words are as dew and gentle showers to the soul. The Scripture says of Christ, that grace was poured into His lips, that He might "know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary." [Isaiah 50:4.] And the Lord bids us, "Let your speech be alway with grace" "that it may minister grace unto the hearers." [Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:29.] {GW 122.2}
Some with whom you are brought in contact may be rough and uncourteous, but do not, because of this, be less courteous yourself. He who wishes to preserve his own self-respect must be careful not to wound needlessly the self-respect of others. This rule should be sacredly observed toward the dullest, the most blundering. What God intends to do with these apparently unpromising ones, you do not know. He has in the past accepted persons no more promising or attractive to do a great work for Him. His Spirit, moving upon the heart, has roused every faculty to vigorous action. The Lord saw in these rough, unhewn stones precious material, which would stand the test of storm and heat and pressure. God does not see as man sees. He does not judge from appearances, but searches the heart and judges righteously.” Ellen White in Gospel Workers, p. 122.
3. Christ reversed the culture of His day by marginalizing the rich rather than the poor. [Lk 16:19-31; 18:9] False
“ Jesus had grief, but He did not carry it in His face. Wherever He moved blessings followed in His track. Joy and gladness were imparted to the children of men. Children loved to be in His presence. He took them in His arms. Christ was an earnest, thoughtful man, an intense worker for the good of others, but He was never frowning or gloomy. The calm, steady light of a holy peace was expressed in His life and character. His presence hushed levity and none could be in His presence without feeling that life was earnest, serious, charged with a great responsibility. The more I know of Jesus' character the more cheerful I am."-- Ellen Whtie in Manuscripts Releases, #350.
REFLECTION: How is it possible not to be prejudiced against some groups and/or individuals who abuse systems at the expense of others.
“Extreme forms of nationalism, such as those propagated by fascist movements in the twentieth century, hold that nationality is the most important aspect of one's identity while some of them have attempted to define the nation in terms of race or genetics.” Fascism is an authoritarian political ideology (generally tied to a mass movement) that considers the individual subordinate to the interests of the state, party or society as a whole. Fascists seek to forge a type of national unity, usually based on (but not limited to) ethnic, cultural, racial, and/or religious attributes. Various scholars attribute different characteristics to fascism, but the following elements are usually seen as its integral parts: patriotism, nationalism, statism, militarism, totalitarianism, anti-communism, corporatism, populism, collectivism, autocracy and opposition to political and economic liberalism .
(Wikipedia)
Such forms of national pride are obviously wrong. Other illustrations of national abuse can be found in the book, The Ugly American. It is the “title of a 1958 political novel by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer. It became a bestseller, was influential at the time, and is still in print. The novel describes how the United States is losing the struggle with Communism—what was later to be called the battle for hearts and minds—in Southeast Asia, because of arrogance and failure to understand the local culture.” (Wikipedia)
But what about:
Rom 13:1-2
13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (NIV)
Gal 3:26-29
26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (NIV)
REFLECTION: Is it necessary to disown one’s own nationality and/or country to be a disciple of Christ?
5. The closer one comes to God the less time one needs to spend in “formal” prayer. [Lk 5:15,16; 6:12,13] False See Nouwen, p.29
Luke 5:15-16
15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (NIV)
“Jesus Himself, while He dwelt among men, was often in prayer. Our Saviour identified Himself with our needs and weakness, in that He became a suppliant, a petitioner, seeking from His Father fresh supplies of strength, that He might come forth braced for duty and trial. He is our example in all things. He is a brother in our infirmities, "in all points tempted like as we are;" but as the sinless one His nature recoiled from evil; He endured struggles and torture of soul in a world of sin. His humanity made prayer a necessity and a privilege. He found comfort and joy in communion with His Father. And if the Saviour of men, the Son of God, felt the need of prayer, how much more should feeble, sinful mortals feel the necessity of fervent, constant prayer.” --Ellen White in Steps to Christ, p.93.
“It is not enough for priests and ministers of the future to be moral people, well trained, eager to help their fellow humans, and able to respond creatively to the burning issues of their time. . . . The central question is, Are the leaders of the future truly men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God’s presence, to listen to God’s voice, to look at God’s beauty, to touch God’s incarnate Word and to taste fully God’s infinite goodness?” – Henri J.M. Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus, pp. 29-30
REFLECTION: How do I “dwell in God’s presence?”
6. Disciple-making impacts more than beliefs and behavior. [Jn 5:39-42; 12:1-7; 4:27-30] True (If this is true then what else could it be?)
John 5:39-43
39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41 "I do not accept praise from men, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. (NIV)
“In His great love, Christ surrendered Himself for us. He gave Himself for us to meet the necessities of the striving, struggling soul. We are to surrender ourselves to Him. When this surrender is entire, Christ can finish the work He began for us by the surrender of Himself. Then He can bring to us complete restoration.” [Ellen White in This Day with God, p. 159.]
Faith-As-Life -- “As long as we think of teaching our faith primarily as communicating information, it’s natural and appropriate to conceive of a teacher as one who knows. As long as we assume communicating faith is a matter of reaching persons through the mind, an essentially intellectual operation, it’s natural and appropriate to develop a ‘school’ approach to Christian education. But all this changes if we focus on teaching faith-as-life. To communicate faith-as-life means that faith’s life style as well as faith’s content needs to be learned, and that these need to be linked as they are being taught. --Lawrence O. Richards in A Theology of Christian Education, p.80.
Disciples-making must include not only beliefs and actions but also heart (emotions). All must be surrendered to Christ. We must come to Him as a whole person without compartmentalizing our faith.
Reflective Review
A whole quarter about discipleship! What should we remember? What should we do? What should we be like? Who called us? How shall we respond? Does our response have any impact on others? Does our discipleship bring us hope or do we sense, first of all, a burden of responsibility? Do others have more hope or less hope because of our discipleship? Who is Jesus?
“’Don’t the Bible say we must love everybody?’
‘O, the Bible! To be sure, it says a great many things; but, then, nobody ever thinks of doing them’” – Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
A theologian, Helmut Thielicke, wrote:
“Jesus gained the power to love harlots, bullies, and ruffians . . . he was able to do this only because he saw through the filth and crust of degeneration because his eye caught the divine original which is hidden in every way—in every man!. . . First and foremost he gives us new eyes . . .
When Jesus loved a guilt-laden person and helped him, he saw in him an erring child of God. He saw in him a human being whom his Father loved and grieved over because he was going wrong. He saw him as God originally designed and meant him to be, and therefore he saw through the surface layer of grime and dirt to the real man underneath. Jesus did not identify the person with his sin, but rather saw in this sin something alien, something that really did not belong to him, something that merely chained and mastered him and from which he would free him and bring him back to his real self. Jesus was able to love men because he loved them right through the layer of mud.” – Quoted in What’s So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey, p.175.
Discipleship! Perhaps one summary of what we have studied this quarter is our response to being seen differently by Christ in a better light than we deserve and seeing others in the same way.
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