I just heard someone say that their mission was to get a new credit card. Now that's to die for.
Thinking about mission. I heard my son once talk about the inner mission and the outer mission. By inner mission, I think he was addressing our high, holy call to know Jesus ... to bring every thought captive into obedience to Christ ... to guard our heart, etc. Outer mission would have to do with helping lost folks become Jesus-followers ... it would be discipling our family and church family to mature and multiply in Christ, etc. This was helpful, for I am all about relationship with Jesus and life flowing from the relationship.
The more I thought about it, the more I determined that I have only one mission: to know Christ ... or as I have tried to help others rally around ... "to unite with Jesus." If my single mission is to relate to Jesus, that is, to find out what Jesus thinks and wants about everything, then everything I say and do after knowing and uniting with Jesus inwardly would be sub-mission.
By sub-mission, I mean two things: 1) the obvious ... having brought everything to Jesus to find out what He thinks and wants, I submit to His will, for He is my Lord, and all I truly want is what He wants 2) the new spin on sub-mission for me is the idea that, having one mission (to relate to Jesus ... like He related to His Father) then all I say and do can be categorized under sub-mission, that is, a whole raft of secondary missions. So what I do for my family - as led by Jesus - is a sub-mission of my primary / single mission - to unite with Jesus. What I do as led by Jesus for lost folks is a sub-mission of my primary mission. What I do in the church or in leading the church is a sub-mission of my primary mission - to unite with Jesus. My life mission "to know Jesus" results in many, many sub-missions ... secondary missions ... all flowing from the single mission of my life: I want to know Him. What do you think?
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Can I truly be Jesus' disciple?
In my church family, there is much talk of "discipleship." I am thankful. But can I truly BE a disciple? Of Jesus? Like Peter and John were? Surely not.
However ... Jesus did say some things that make me think anyone who is willing can be His disciple.
Peter and John were Jesus' disciples by virtue of responding to His invitation to be with Him. Mark 3:14 Later, Jesus said, "Come to Me, ALL ..." Matt. 11:28 He invites me ... and you ... to be with Him, just as He invited Peter and John.
One of Jesus' most shocking statements was this: "It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." Jesus plainly says that it is better for Him to be in us by His Spirit - making possible our knowing and hearing Him any / all the time - than to be with us, like He was with Peter and John. This is shocking! Jesus says that His indwelling presence by His Spirit is better than His being physically close (tangibly visible and audible) to us. His sheep DO hear His voice. We must so deeply believe that He speaks that we listen carefully! Then, we must learn to carefully discern His voice from our own thoughts, or even deceptive thoughts from the Deceiver/Tempter.
But, some might say, that is so much work! Let me ask, "How valuable is Jesus to us?" How important is it to us - if hearing His voice is, in fact, possible - to accurately hear God speak personally to us? If we have His Word (and we do), and if Jesus' Spirit indwells us to guide us into all truth (and He does), we can be WITH HIM, to watch what He did, to ask why and how, and to be guided and coached by Him as we haltingly fumble forward in following HIm.
However ... Jesus did say some things that make me think anyone who is willing can be His disciple.
Peter and John were Jesus' disciples by virtue of responding to His invitation to be with Him. Mark 3:14 Later, Jesus said, "Come to Me, ALL ..." Matt. 11:28 He invites me ... and you ... to be with Him, just as He invited Peter and John.
One of Jesus' most shocking statements was this: "It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." Jesus plainly says that it is better for Him to be in us by His Spirit - making possible our knowing and hearing Him any / all the time - than to be with us, like He was with Peter and John. This is shocking! Jesus says that His indwelling presence by His Spirit is better than His being physically close (tangibly visible and audible) to us. His sheep DO hear His voice. We must so deeply believe that He speaks that we listen carefully! Then, we must learn to carefully discern His voice from our own thoughts, or even deceptive thoughts from the Deceiver/Tempter.
But, some might say, that is so much work! Let me ask, "How valuable is Jesus to us?" How important is it to us - if hearing His voice is, in fact, possible - to accurately hear God speak personally to us? If we have His Word (and we do), and if Jesus' Spirit indwells us to guide us into all truth (and He does), we can be WITH HIM, to watch what He did, to ask why and how, and to be guided and coached by Him as we haltingly fumble forward in following HIm.
Heartwalk
Debbi and I are currently visiting Pastor Brian and Carole in Rockford, IL. He has helped me design my blog. It is my hope that you subscribe, leave comments, and let's heartwalk together this journey of following Jesus!
Hal
Hal
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