A Call for every Christ Follower

 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;

Matthew 28.19-20 (NASB)

Every follower of Christ has a call, a mandate, as well as every church to make Disciples.  It is so easy in church life to get caught up in all the churchy stuff we do.  In our personal lives it is easy as well to forget about this call as we go through the hustle and bustle of our day.  

But Jesus call to every disciple is to be about making other disciples.  A disciple was someone (and is today) who was a student, servant and follower of the master/teacher.  Jesus is our master/teacher.  We must be learning from Him, serving Him and following Him every day.  And in the process we must lead others to do the same.  

Remember Christ followers the call to make disciples is our primary mission.  Stop and commit yourself today to seek the opportunity to make disciples.

It is personal

"But who do you say that I am?"

Matt 16:15 (NASB95)

In Matthew 16.13-20 we find Jesus having a conversation with His followers.  He begins by asking who do others say that I am?  Then follows up with, "who do you say that I am?"  And then to top it all off, after they answer, "You are the Messiah!", He tells them to keep it quiet.  Is that odd to you.  What does Jesus have up His sleeve.  Why does He ask this important question and then tell them to be quiet?
Well we know Jesus' time to be revealed to everyone had not yet come.  But I think there is some deeper things to consider.  The disciples needed to have a moment of commitment.  A time where they could declare to Jesus and before one another, "this is what I believe!"  It is one thing for us to make declarations as a group but it has to be a moment of personal commitment.
So who is Jesus?  Have you made that all important personal declaration, "Jesus is my Lord and Master?"
Give it some thought.  It needs to be personal.  Then declare it to the world!

Worth the Wait

Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"

Genesis 17.18 (NIV)

We and Abraham have a similar problem.  We tend to move ahead of God and then ask God to bless what we have done.  God promised a son to Abraham and Sara and they decided that they knew how God was going to do that.  Through Hagar!  Perhaps they just made assumptions because it was "taking so long" for God to answer.  Whatever the case they moved ahead.

When we move ahead of God we really have engaged in sin, disobedience if you prefer.  When we do this not only do we create a bad situation for ourselves but also can make life difficult for others.  By moving ahead we miss the blessing that God has intended.

Wait on the Lord and allow God to lead you as a Christ follower.  Waiting can be difficult but God's blessing is always worth the wait!

For His Glory

When Jesus heard it, He said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
John 11:4 (HCSB)

We don't always understand God's plan or His ways.  We are often surprised when things don't work out the way we thought they would or should.  We can become very disappointed when God doesn't come through with the answers to our crisis that we expected.  Jesus statement when He was told that Lazarus was sick relays some important assurances for us as Christ Followers.
God really does know whats going on.  Jesus said it will not end in death.  It didn't but death was a stop in the middle!
Second, it is important to know that God will receive the glory.  We don't understand that always and honestly we often don't like it.  But God is at work in the circumstances of our life and they are for His glory.  God did not cease to be God in Lazarus' crisis.
Third, is to know that God's ways are beyond our reason and comprehension at times, OK really most of the time.
What is the Christ Follower to do?  Hold on to Jesus and trust Him.  He will receive the glory and remember that is our highest purpose, His glory!

God does have a plan!

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Jer 29:11 (NLT)

Most of us are familiar with the verse.  We like this verse.  It is a great promise and is very comforting.  There is just one problem.  We really need to remember context is everything.  God speaks to the Jewish people through Jeremiah while they are in captivity.  They have been deported to Babylon.  They are reaping the consequences of many years of rebellion and not turning back to the Lord.
The point is that God is telling them.  Right now you are upset, hurting and troubled but its OK because I have a plan that is good.  This things that seems horrible to you now, and it is, is not what I have for you always.  I am reminded that in order for us to get to the mountaintop we will eventually have to go through a valley.
Remember that it may seem bad now but God has plans for you that are full of hope and a wonderful future.  It won't always be what we want and it certainly will not be easy.  But God knows what is best and He will give that to you because He is a great and loving God!

Shake up the World!

¹¹ And He went into Jerusalem and into the temple complex.  After looking around at everything, since it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Mark 11.11 (HCSB)

So what is happening here in this passage?  Well Jesus has just come into town in what we call the triumphal entry (see Mark 11).  The crowds have cheered, Hosanna!  This seems odd doesn't it.  Jesus comes in to the temple looks around but because it is late He leaves and goes out to find the disciples.  But tomorrow He will come back and clear out the temple of all the salesman and money changers.  Couldn't He have done that even though it was late?

Jesus was not looking to just do damage.  He wasn't looking to be a vandal.  His intentions are not just to protest.  He intends to shake up the Jewish temple world.  He wants to make a point that this should not be and even more those who are followers of His should not participate in such activity.

I think there is a lesson here.  Jesus was a vessel for shaking up the religious world by His obedience to the Father.  So what do you think He may want from us?  I believe that Jesus wants His followers to go beyond the normal Sunday morning commitment.  He wants us to be radically obedient to Him!  Business as usual is not what He wants from us.  He wants something so much more.

Are you willing to be a vessel for shaking up the World?  We do that not by damaging, or protest.  We are not to be a vandal or even a rebel.  But we do that by a radical obedience to Him in our lives.