Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." John 5:8
How do you know if Christ is your focus? Look at your life. Do you confess God with your lips yet deny Him in your daily life? It is easy to belong to a church or recite a creed, but difficult to live the Christian life. Yet, He gives us the love, grace, and means to do so. How do you define faith? Remember, faith without action is a contradiction, and love without obedience is impossible.
As we walk the road of the Christian life, we must be careful that in our strategies and struggles, we do not lose sight of God and His purpose. We typically try to come up with some type of shortcut for success. However, in Him, there are no shortcuts. Maturity and discipleship are lifelong pursuits, and we are to always be growing and bettering ourselves through the Word, prayer, spiritual disciplines, and our godly relationships. These are the tools. He is the means.
Our total dependence upon God will produce a better attitude that creates better actions. You may ask, why should I be willing to give up riches, comfort, fun, and even friends to follow Christ as His disciple? When we read the Gospels, especially Luke, we are given a very compelling motivation-the salvation and blessings that Jesus gives us. These things are eternal while what we give up is very limited and temporary. The best part is that we really do not give up as much as we gain. Giving up a lesser benefit for a superior one is smart and practical, both in business and in being a disciple of Christ.
Do you realize that our dependence on God helps remove our frustrations, prevents disillusionment, and keeps us centered on what is important in life, which is Christ? We can depend on God's grace because God will provide a way out, in His time. When we are not focusing on maturity and dependence, then we are focusing on our selves which ends up distorting, even destroying the Lord's work rather than building His kingdom. We will not be perfect. It is a question of spirituality that we are to submit as we are called because Christ did. Without a life-approach of submission, we will reveal that our foundation for life is not spiritual maturity. Hence, we and our churches will be hindered in growth, as will our outreach. We cannot be a caring community if we are not submissive and humble in our relationship to God and then to one another.
If you think this is just too much and you are feeling overwhelmed, remember, it does not happen overnight; it takes a lifetime. If you are still unsure, then consider this. One of the main reasons people leave their church is they have no real relationships there. Discipleship is the means for relationship building. We are designed for something more in life than just pursuing wants and pleasures. That is why people who "have it all" still feel empty. God did not create any Lone Ranger Christians. He created us to be in community and in relationship with one another; discipleship is the key to that community. God calls us to lift one another up. There should not be a single person in the church that does not have at least one person they can call a friend and have a relationship with outside the church campus and programs.
Heartfelt Worship
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last." Revelation 1:17
Jesus wants us to walk, that is, to grow in our faith, and have the goals of heartfelt worship and devotion that will be contagious to others. He wants us to have a Christ-centered life, not a self-centered life. Jesus wants us to succeed in life and to be victorious. We do this by desiring to grow His Way, and by removing the distractions, problems, and potential problems that become barriers that hold us back. If the sick man had held onto his mat, he would have held onto his past identity and problems. The mat would have become a chain pulling him backward to despair and hopelessness.
The want we are to have is determination. Determination is the ability to make difficult decisions and accomplish God's goals based on the truths of God's Word, regardless of the resistance that may be encountered. It is the ability to point ourselves toward godly pursuits and not allow ourselves to be distracted or discouraged. If we are not doing this, then we are in the realm of weakness, discouragement, powerlessness, and faintheartedness. These dire mindsets allow us to give up way too soon, when all we would have had to do was hang on a little bit longer. Determination also requires community. You must have others to help you in accountability and learning; you cannot do it on your own. These characteristics lead you to distrust God's provision and forbid others to help you. If you are not determined to exhibit character, the rotten works of Galatians 5:19-21 will find their way to you and even overtake you.
We have to rise up and follow through. Many people want to be carried after they are helped. Because they get comfortable with the attention and care they received, they expect everybody to gather around them and keep them going. But, if Jesus gives you the power to rise, Jesus is the One who can give you the power to continue to walk every day, to keep going. ...Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2- KJV).
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27
We must have more in our spiritual arsenal than just belief. We must have more in order to grow in Him and make our faith and relationships work. Our faith cannot just be academic, an idea, or even just a hope; it has to be real. Judas was an example of a person who knew about Christ. He had the knowledge and first-hand experience that we do not have. Yet, he did not put it into practice. To him, Jesus was just an idea and a hope for his own agenda and purpose. Judas was not willing, and thus, not able to abide. When his storm came, he failed. He betrayed his Lord and then fell away. His foundation was sand, made up of grains of false expectations, misplaced hopes, false ideas, and a skewed determination. He knew the will of God, but he did not obey the will of God. Jesus needs to be our Lord and God before He can be our Hope, or we will have only an idol of emptiness to fulfill our wishes, and a life unfulfilled.
Look at John chapter five. Is there some area of your life where you want to be healed? If you say, yes, He will say, then stand up, take up your bed, and walk. Perhaps, a miracle will occur; perhaps, it is your attitude that needs to change. In any account, your plight is temporary in the scope of eternity. Focus on Him; overcome those barriers!
Jesus invites you to discipleship. But, He lets you know up front that it is a commitment that will cost you something. It is not going to be easy. You cannot just say you love the Lord. You must show it as your heart's devotion transcends to your hands and feet. We must be Christians more than just on Sunday mornings. We are called to be Christians both spiritually and as a lifestyle 24/7, that is twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Then, we will truly be Jesus' disciples! Discipleship is costly because Jesus must have priority over our will, ideas, plans, and presumptions. Discipleship is dynamic, not static. Jesus desires us to understand that being a Christian is not just about sitting in a pew or saying a prayer. It is about a life committed, a life changed, a heart and will surrendered, and a new direction and worldview with His precepts and character for living as our example. Discipleship is not a one-time act. It is a change of heart, a change of direction for a lifetime. A disciple is willing to grow in Christ; are you!? Are you willing to GO? Remember, what we give up is of no comparison to what we gain. We are at the winning, beneficial end of this relationship with God.
Take this to heart: Jesus never asked anyone to do anything without enabling them with the power to do it. Let this be your encouraging motive!
Questions to Ponder
1. How much does discipleship cost? Does it scare you? If so, why? What can you do to abandon your fears?
2. Read Luke 9:23 and Luke 14:25-35: Ask yourself, "Am I willing to pay the cost?"
3. What will be the rewards in your life when you are adhering to His command to GO?
4. Now go over the "How do I do this" list again, in prayer, and ask Christ to help you in each bullet point's implantation in you and implementation into the world. (For more help see Appendix II "How to Build your Faith.")
The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130
Some passages to consider: Psalm 119:130; Isaiah 42:16; Luke 10:2-3; John 4: 23-24; 15; 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; Philippians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:5-7
© 1992, 2005, Richard J. Krejcir, Ph.D. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership, www.churchleadership.org
