“Discipleship Community” (Mark 3:13-19)
- Our Core Values IV -
Who Is a Disciple?
Who do you think a disciple of
Jesus is? You may call to mind Peter who converted 3,000 people in one day and performed many
miraculous signs. Or, you may call to mind Paul
who planted several churches and wrote more than half of the New Testament. There
is no doubt that they are good disciples of Jesus. They did wonderful things
for Christ. But at the same time, we must remember that Jesus didn’t call his
disciples to put them to just work for him. Today’s scripture clearly says to
us the reasons why Jesus chose his disciples. It says, “He appointed twelve to be with him, and to be sent out to preach
and fight spiritual battles” (vv. 14-15). The purpose of discipleship
is twofold: the one is to have fellowship with Jesus, and the other is to do
his work. I would like to put a special emphasis on the first purpose.
Jesus Appointed the Disciples
to Be with Him.
Jesus chose his disciples “to be
with him.” He calls each of us in this room to have fellowship with him.
He didn't bring you to himself to make you a slave. He brought you to himself
to make you a friend, his companion. The Master of the universe wants to have
fellowship with us. This year’s VBS theme is “My heart Christ’s home.” It is based on the book written by Robert
Munger. In this story one young man decided to invite Jesus into his heart. He showed
him each room in his house. When they arrived at the living room, both of them
liked that room. They sat together and spent time together. Jesus promised, “I
will be here early every morning. Meet me here, and we will start the day
together.” So they started to have their quiet time together. But, little by
little, under the pressure of many responsibilities, this time began to be
shortened, and the man began to miss a day now and then. One morning when the
man was in a hurry, rushing downstairs, eager to be on his way, he saw Jesus
was sitting and waiting in the living room. He said to Jesus, “Master, have you
been here all these mornings?” And Jesus said, “Yes, I told you I would be here
every morning to meet with you. Remember, I love you. And remember, I don’t
want your time or even your life. I want you.” Our Master Jesus wants us to be with him.
In
Jesus’ day there were always two types of people: the “crowds” and the
“disciples.” The previous passage of today’s scripture says that a large crowd
followed Jesus (v.7ff). They followed Jesus because of miraculous signs and wonders.
They showed up for free food. They came to Jesus for healing. They were seeking the gifts from Jesus, not
Jesus himself. When Jesus said to them, “Unless you eat my flesh and my blood, you have no life in you, many
of them turned back and no longer followed him (John 6:53, 65). They
were excited about miracles, but not about having fellowship with him. They
were interested in healing, but not in becoming one with him. Then, Jesus asked his disciples, “You do not want to leave too, do you?”
They answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
A disciple is the person who sits at the
Jesus’ feet and has fellowship with him.
Allow Jesus to Do Something in
You Before You Do Something for Him.
To become a disciple, it is
necessary to spend much time with Jesus first. To be
precise, before you do something for Jesus you must allow him to do something
in you. Probably, you remember the story of Martha and Mary. One day Jesus and
his disciples visited the village
of Bethany,
and Martha opened her home to them. She was generous and had a gift of
hospitality. She began to prepare a good meal at least for 16 people (Jesus and
his twelve disciples, Lazarus, Mary and herself!). Probably you know better than
I that it is not easy to make a special meal for the big group. Martha was
distracted by the big dinner she was preparing, while Mary was sitting at Jesus’
feet. Finally, Martha burnt out. The volcano inside her just exploded. Then,
Jesus said to her, “Martha, Martha, you
are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has
chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” What is the one thing? It is to hear his word. It is to have
fellowship with him. It is to allow him to serve you before you serve others. Jesus
chose his disciples to be with him, and then to send them out to do his work.
Those purposes should be always in that order. If you get them turned around,
it will destroy you. You’ll burn out.
On the night Jesus was
betrayed, the last thing he did was to wash his disciples’ feet. When he came
to Peter, Peter said to him, “No, you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus
replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t
belong to me.” (Jn 13:8; NLT). One time I attended the youth group retreat
as one of the youth leaders. Right before the closing worship service started,
the youth pastor announced that he would do foot washing ceremony at the end of
the service. I was very embarrassed because at that time I got bad athlete’s
foot from the army. The pastor began to wash the youth leaders’ feet first.
When he came to me to wash my feet, I almost cried out, “No, you will never
wash my feet.” I was really tempted to run away. But the Holy Spirit urged me
to stay. While the pastor was washing my feet, at first I felt naked and
uncomfortable, but later I felt deeply loved. And my athlete’s foot was
completely healed that night. After I was washed, it was my turn to wash my
students’ feet. I had done foot washing several times before. But that night,
something was different. I really came to know the love of Christ better. I
came to understand that only when my feet
were washed by Jesus first, I was then able to wash others’ feet. Only when we experience
the love of Christ first, we are then able to go out to preach the gospel of
love for Christ.
To Be with Jesus Is To Abide in
Him.
In
the 19th century there was a British missionary to China.
His name is Hudson Taylor. He was a very competent man. He was a founder of “China
Inland Mission” which was responsible for 800 missionaries and 125 schools. However,
as his own position became continually more and more responsible, he became
nervous. He suffered from insomnia and a nervous breakdown. The harder he tried
to imitate Jesus and do something for him, the more frustrated he became. One
of his missionary friends, John McCarthy, heard of his struggles and wrote a
letter to Taylor
as follows: “How does the branch bear
fruit? Not by incessant effort for sunshine and air… it simply abides in
the vine, in silent and undisturbed union, and blossoms and fruit appear as of
spontaneous growth. How, then, shall a
Christian bear fruit? By efforts and struggles to obtain that which is
freely given; by meditations on watchfulness, on prayer, on action, on
temptation, and on dangers? No: there must be a full concentration of the
thoughts and affections on Christ; a complete surrender of the whole being to
Him; a constant looking to Him for grace…” This letter transformed Taylor’s
life. It was like a light switch was turned on in his heart. It was so clear,
so simple. Since that time, he entered into what he called “the exchanged life.” He experienced “oneness
with Jesus” and did bear much fruit for Christ for the rest of his life.
Are You a Disciple?
Let us go back to our original
question: “Who is a disciple?” A disciple is the person who constantly abides in Christ until he or
she bears fruit. Surely the time will come when we must do something for
Jesus. In John 12 about a week before Jesus dies, Lazarus and his sisters
invite Jesus to dinner at their home for the second time. Again Martha is busy
with preparing a meal. Jesus’ disciples and Lazarus are at the table. So far,
Jesus has plainly spoken about his death at least three times (cf. Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:32-34).
But no one doesn’t understand it or doesn’t want to pay attention to it.
Perhaps Jesus feels very lonely. But there is one person who knows Jesus’
agony. Mary comes in with a jar of very expensive perfume, and she anoints
Jesus’ feet, and then wipes them with her hair. The disciples are indignant and
say, “Why this waste?” But Jesus says to them, “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. I tell
you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she
has done will also be told, in memory of her” (Matt 26:10-13). At first,
Mary seemed to do nothing. She just sat at Jesus’ feet. But later, when the
time comes, she remembers what Jesus said about his death and prepares him for
burial. Just in time she does a more beautiful thing than anyone else for the
Lord.
Are you a disciple? The first
and most important qualification of a disciple is to be with Jesus.
While we live on earth, we will be busy with many things. But not necessarily,
they are all memorable for Jesus. There
is only one way to do something beautiful and memorable for Jesus. You must abide
in him and allow him to minister to you first. This morning Jesus says to
us, “My son, my daughter, you are worried and upset about many
things, but only one thing is needed. I want you!”
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