Following The Way

Intro

Over the next few weeks we’ll hit the reset button and start from scratch on what it specifically means to follow Jesus.

This is something that over the past few years I’ve been discovering and I feel like I’ve reignited my relationship with God all over again.

Read

Mark 1:16–20 ESV

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

What would cause Peter and the others to drop everything and follow Jesus?

Was this a reckless decision by Peter and Co.?

Did Jesus use mind control?

Honestly, what would cause these normal husbands, fathers, sons to leave their homes, families, and jobs to follow Jesus at the drop of a hat .

To answer this question fully we have to start out with an idea that most of us my be somewhat, but not fully, familiar with

Jesus was a rabbi

One of the more overlooked aspect of Jesus’ life was that he was a rabbi (Master, Teacher)

Rabbis traveled around and taught their perspectives on the Law and the Torah. There other rabbis in addition to Jesus, some held jobs, and even yes had disciples.

But Jesus wasn’t just any old rabbi, the Gospel writers say that the crowds were astonished by His teaching and that “He spoke with one who had authority.” The sign above His head on the cross didn’t say “Wellness Coach”. It said “King of the Jews.” And this made perfect sense. The Jews were looking for a second Moses ( Great Teacher) that would lead them on a second Exodus out of the Roman empire just like Egypt. They were looking for a Messiah. One of the marks of a Messiah would be that he was an expert in the scriptures, so it made sense that Jesus was a rabbi

But of course we believe that Jesus was more than just a good teacher that wanted to lead a revolution. The reason they killed Him was that from their point of view, “he being a mere man claims to be God”

Now modern Christians love to focus on Jesus’ deliverance ministry as Messiah and God. His miracles that both set the captive free and fought the spiritual powers of evil. But we often neglect wisdom and brilliance at teaching us the way to live a life in the Fathers perfect world. We neglect the fact that He was a rabbi and that he called disciples.

What was a disciple?

A person in the scriptures would go to school as a child and study the bible (House of the Book)

then the best of the best from that class would got the House of Learning and by the age of 17 they would memorize the entire OT. Then they would graduate and they would be encouraged “to have babies and pray they become rabbis.”

Then the best of the best of the best would apply to become disciples of a prominent rabbi. They would get interrogated… If the disciple was accepted the rabbi would say something like “Come follow me.”

Then the goal of the disciple would be 3 fold.

Be with their rabbi - They would follow their rabbi and learn from him everything - class was life

Become like their Rabbi - The goal would be to be so close to them that you would begin to talk like them, walk like them

Do what they did - At one point if you made it to through the gauntlet your rabbi would tell “Go and make disciples” Sound familiar?

Disciple is a person

Now this brings up a necessary distinction

The modern use of the word disciple doesn’t exist outside church life. The true definition of the word would be “the student of teacher or a philsopher” and the process of education would be shadow, practice, and embody the life and lessons of the teacher. This is an ancient type of teaching that would focus on absorbing the teachers way of life. When Jesus invites disciples to follow Him he’s asking them to begin of life of listening, learning, observation, imitation, and obedience.

Jiujitsu lessons - no diagrams, demonstration

The problem is that we don’t use “disciple” this way. We say that we are disciples but then we go on to say “Who is discipling you?” We use it as a verb. Something that happens to you. The problem is that the NT doesn't ever use the word like that. Ever. Not once. We wouldn’t say the same about being a believer. “I am a believer, and John is believering me.” That makes no sense. A believer is someone that I am. Not something or process that happens to me.

And that leads us to the point. This misunderstanding leads us to placing the responsibility of following Jesus on someone else instead of taking accountability ourselves. The fact of the matter is that disciples the way Jesus intended were those who of their own will chose to follow Him personally. To follow His way of life and seek to listen, learn, observe, and imitate His way of life.

A disciple would orient their entire life around their rabbi. They eagerly leave everything behind to follow him.

Sadly this is not similar to the modern definition of a Christian.

Christian or Disciple?

Christian = 3x’s

Disciple = 269x’s

Christian Was originally a term that was used to mock disciples of Jesus for imitating Christ. Good.

However in todays society It really just means someone who intellectually confirms some facts about Jesus.

Basics - Jesus was apart of the Trinity, died for the sins of the world, faith in this teaching is necessary for your salvation.”

While this is true and wonderful. It doesn’t mention actually following Jesus and seeking to obey and imitate His life.

This imbalanced approach has led us to a state where

- 63% of Americans claim to be Christian

- 4% follow Jesus

“A person who simply is a man of faith is not a disciple.”

- Saint Maximus

It is often tragically communicated that “you don’t need to read your bible or pray to go to heaven.” or “Don’t worry if you don’t go to church then you won’t go to hell” And while all these are technically true. Getting to know Jesus through the Word and prayer isn’t extra credit or something to do if your up for it but non-essential. It’s only logical that after saying yes to Jesus we would want grow to know Him, become like Him, and do what He did.

Again a disciple is a person who has chosen for themselves that their ultimate goal would be to be with Jesus, be like Jesus, and to do what Jesus did in every area of their life. So then a non-disciple would be a person whose ultimate goal would be anything else.

Jesus + Something = Nothing

Jesus + Nothing = Everything

This idea is completely foreign in the NT. The gospel writers regularly wrote in distinctions between the disciples and the crowd, for the purpose of forcing the quesition “Are you a disciple or just one of the crowd.”

matt 7.13-14

Matthew 7:13–14 ESV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Billions of people try a life of following anything else but Jesus and their miserable. Jesus offers a different way that leads to life.

Jesus isn’t looking for Converts, He’s looking for disciples.

Why would we follow this Man? What does he offer?

Because of WW2 the salvation message to an interesting turn. The gospel was preached in such a way that a person could “become” a Christian and not follow Jesus.

The modern day gospel sounds a bit like this

You are going to hell

God loves you.

Jesus died for your sins

If you believe in Him, you can go to heaven when you die

Now again, yes and amen to all of that. But there is so much more to the Gospel then just fire insurance and a cozy place to live after you die. There’s more for you here now!

Matthew 7:21 ESV

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Salvation

This begs the question, what is salvation?

Is it just not going to hell? Is it moral perfection? Is it wiping the ledger clean so you can cope with your past?

What if salvation is union with God? Adoption into His family, healing for you soul, to become a person pervaded by love, wisdom, and strength that as Jesus says is light shining on a hill.

Salvation isn’t just about what we’re save from it’s also about what we’re saved to. (Healing, hope, love, family)

“Salvation is less about getting into heaven, and more about getting heaven into you.”

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Salvation comes when the way of Jesus is blended with the truth of jesus that leads to the life that Jesus offers. Eternal life (Quality not quantity)

Is this how we understand the Gospel?

That Jesus certainly has a life that has been gifted to us that He has called us to walk in. That He is our Rabbi and that we are called to follow His way.

This doesn’t negate grace. God’s grace is afforded to us by grace and grace alone. And we would be fools to not also follow the way that Jesus has for us to live that leads to life everlasting in the here and now. Peter says that we would be blind fools not to do so

2 Peter 1:3–14 ESV

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.

Grace isn’t opposed to effort, it’s opposed to earning.”

So why would Peter and Co. leave everything to follow Jesus.

Who so ever.

Before they believed in Jesus, He believed in them.

Discipleship doesn’t happen by accident.