I would venture most of us know this passage fairly well. I would also venture, that most of those that know it wonder how directly it applies to us. And a good number of those hope against the odds that it doesn’t. As good Methodists, many of us don’t want to make people do something. We like free will, freedom of choice. And the idea of “making disciples” sounds a bit too pushy and coercive for our liking. Right? We don’t want to be associated with those who cram religion or faith down others’ throats and so we steer clear of this commandment.
The problem is it’s a commandment. It’s what Christ has instructed us to do. In essence, it’s why we exist as Christians. It’s both who we are Christians—because someone else made us disciples, and what we are to do as Christians—to go make disciples of others.
We are called to obey all that Christ has taught us. That includes loving our neighbor, loving our enemies, including the marginalized, humbly serving others, submitting our power, forgiving, and seeking justice. All those things that sound easy by practically are very challenging are what we are admonished to do. And in doing those things, we should be teaching and encouraging others to do the same. Not forcing. Not coercing. But modeling in such a way that it compels others to follow Christ too.
Maybe you’re still reluctant? Think of it this way:
We are each a disciple of Christ. You are a follower. You are an apprentice of sorts. You try and emulate him in your daily life, sometimes with greater success than others. But regardless, you follow Christ and seek to be more and more like him—more gracious, more loving, more humble, more compassionate, more inclusive, and more merciful.
You are a disciple. And, you are a disciple because someone taught you how. Another disciple taught you how to see with eyes of compassion, how to pray with conviction, how to read the Bible with interest, how to serve with humility, how to be blessed by giving to others. Someone else taught you the stories of Christ and what it is that he holds high. And because of them, you are here.
One disciple (or maybe more) made you a disciple through their example of kindness, or thoughtfulness, or conviction, or hope, or forgiveness, or grace. They lived in such a way that compelled you to do the same.
And that’s what we are called to do. We are called to live as disciples of Christ in a way that compels others to follow in a way that rallies people to live for peace, justice, hope, reconciliation, and wholeness. To make disciples is to live authentically in the ways of Jesus and teach others to do the same.
Discipleship is not scary. It’s not condemning. It’s life-giving. It’s peace-making. It’s forgiveness offering.
And that’s what we want to be intentional about doing in the coming years. Last weekend, the church council met to talk about and discern a vision for our church for the next couple of years. In looking at the nature of our church, we decided that we are the family of God dedicated to caring for all, and our core values are: 1) Nurturing others, 2) Hospitality and welcome, 3) Spiritual formation and discipleship. For us, (hopefully with a strong understanding of all of us as a church), living our discipleship means bringing people to the family of God, helping them feel a part of the love, welcome, and joy that we have experienced here at Wesley. We want to nurture them, show them that they are important and special, and we want to help them grow in the ways of Christ.
Wesley was started by families, and, by in large, throughout our history, we have consisted of families. Families that were large and small, traditional and non-traditional, families that looked like us and families that didn’t. We have been a family church. And as we look around our community, we can easily see more families that could be a part of the Wesley family. There are families that are broken and blended, families that are healthy and some that are unhealthy, families that are religious and families that aren’t, families that are brown, and families that are black, families that are white, families that are Asian, and families that are Indian. Families that were born here and families that weren’t. Families that are rich and families that are poor. Families that are educated and families that are illiterate. There is a great diversity of families in our midst. They have so much to teach us and we have so much to give.
And this family, our family through Christ, the brothers and sisters who gather here each week could fall in love. We could fall in love with the moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, and all the kids that comprise these families. Our hearts could grow even larger as we learn their stories and come to care for them.
And we can live out our calling with them. We can disciple them. Some will be familiar with Christ’s ways and what he taught and how he lived. Some will make an easy transition into church life. Others have never heard the stories. Others have never been told they are precious, or worthy or important. Others have never known true forgiveness. Others have never served a stranger or been reconciled to an enemy. Others have never known peace in their homes, or joy in their work. And it’s our job to disciple them. It’s our job to model the life we have been called to live. It’s our calling to love them and teach them to serve; to encourage them and affirm them. It’s our role to pray with them and help them heal.
God has given us such great gifts here at Wesley. I’m not sure many of you realize how amazingly blessed and gifted this church body is. You all are a precious jewel in God’s kingdom. You have so much to offer, so much love to share, and just being with you is healing and redemptive for people. God has such a promising future for this church. And to get there, we have to use our gifts. We have to reach out to others—in all of their diversity, and live our calling. Christ’s commandment is simple, not easy, but simple, we must live as Christ taught us to live, and in so doing, we will show others what is possible through a life with Christ, and when they want that, we must teach them what to do. We must live as Christ taught us to live, and in so doing, we will show others what is possible through a life with Christ, and when they want that, we must teach them what to do.
We are called to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Not by mandate, but by loving acceptance and inclusion. We are called to see our church as a place that exists both for the people within these walls as well as the people beyond these walls. We are called to lead, for how else will people follow? We are called to inspire, so that others might know true hope. Our task is not easy, but it is simple and straightforward—to live authentically in the ways of Christ and to teach others to do the same. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment