The most important thing.
The most important goal in discipleship is our own Christ-likeness. People are influenced more by our character than anything we say or teach. Christ in us or our Christ-likeness is imperative if you want to be successful at fulfilling the Great Command (Matthew 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-34 and Luke 10:27) and the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:16-20)
Wait…what? There are expectations to this relationship with Jesus? Yes. I wonder if we understand our role as believers and that Jesus does have expectations of us. There are many who identify as Christians—but few identify as disciples of Jesus Christ. Disciples are taught to practice, learn and live out the gospel (the Christ within me) in their daily lives like in our marriages, parenting and friendships. Here is a short list that could help us understand the disciple’s role.
For believers who become disciples:
We grow. Everything God created has a beginning, middle and end. Everything has a uniqueness preprogrammed within it—some call it the DNA—the internal ENERGY—to grow. Some things grow slow and have a very long life span. Other thins grow fast and have a very short life span. Growth is a story of struggle and overcoming obstacles.
We show fruit. Created beings tend to reproduce whether plant or animal. Extinction is the alternative. Sometimes extinction is a slow meticulous journey toward non-existence or other times it’s over in a flash. Evidence that the dinosaurs lived continues to amaze us and can even call us to question the importance of our own existence. As believers, we have EVIDENCE that our relationship with Christ has transformed us.
We have joy. This is a holy disposition or contentment in Christ kindled by the Holy Spirit. Joy comes along with wisdom. Joy is something that comes from outside us and yet internally transforms us. A holy transformation is revelation that Christ truly is our all in all. We live in the resilience of the resurrection of Jesus. We hold on to the truth especially when we are in the depth of grief and loss. We have joy not only in our celebrations but joy in our suffering.
Paul transformed by the gospel writes to the Disciples in Philippi
In Mark 1:15, we hear the gospel (good news) defined and proclaimed from a voice in the Wilderness shouting, “Repent and Believe.” The action or response to the gospel is not a one time thing but an ongoing way of life. The good news has holy power driven by the Holy Spirit. One must know what they’re dealing with before they are trusted with its actual power or consequence. We have evidence of a gospel transformation in the Book of Acts as it radically altered the life of one man so much he left everything to follow Jesus. The Apostle Paul is that man! He served Jesus in a capacity as a leader and wrote letters to the churches of the Mediterranean Sea basin. One letter in particular was located in Philippi—a Macedonian church.
Philippi was the Gateway to Europe. It was a well known merchant class city and was the town of intake and expedition. Trade routes came through the ancient city which connected the Far East with Rome, Europe and eventually connected with exotic destinations like Gaul and Germany. Silk and expensive cloth brought in from China was dyed deep rich colors such as the purple worn by the Senators of Rome. The great Brutus, who murdered Julius Caesar on the Senate floor, and Cassis were defeated at Philippi by Octavian and Mark Anthony during the Civil War of Rome.
Philippi was interdependent on the static Pax Romana which required the Roman occupation and on the fluidity of the trade culture which was ethnically mixed and more diverse. Philippi was a merchant town filled with middle class business people. The well known disciple Lydia lived this city and she became an instrument in the hands of the Lord to call many to faith in Jesus Christ and become disciples.
Life for the Philippians under the domination of the Roman Empire allowed for certain freedoms and included some serious restrictions. Many people from all over the world became believers in Jesus Christ because of a short stop in Philippi. Believers had taken their faith further and became disciples and the Philippian church flourished. The letter Paul wrote to this church was different than all the rest. Paul’s letters were usually responses to different issues that local churches addressed and each had a cultural relevance that is applicable even to our day. There are certain themes present in Paul’s letters. Themes we saw God establish in the Hebrew Bible—the Old Testament—as foundational we see DEVELOPED in the early church. Paul challenges this influential church to do more than believe.
Paul wrote to the specific Christians in Philippi to cultivate and act on their belief in the gospel:
a. Partnership in the gospel (1:5)
b. Serve to advance the gospel (1:12)
c. Defense of the gospel (1:16)
d. Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel (1:27)
These words feel more like commands that deserve action. To partner with Christ, to serve and advance the gospel, to defend it with your life and to conduct your own life in a way that we reflect Jesus Christ are the hallmarks of Philippians 1. The gospel is something we honor with our lives. The gospel is powerful. The gospel is transformational! The gospel is everything to the seeker, believer and disciples. The gospel is worth dying for.
So what exactly is the gospel?
I believe the answer is unique to the believer. I don’t believe there is one unilateral answer because the gospel—the good news—is unique for each and every one of us. Jesus is the right answer (general revelation) and how He is your right answer (personal revelation) is very important for your motivation. The Holy Spirit will work in you to kindle the flame but we must be obedient and respond. Why would you work your entire life so that others could know him and become like him? Why would you die for him? You see, once you know how Jesus is revealed to you, what he accomplished for you and why he did it all for you…the answers will compel us to live “in a manner worthy of this gospel.” All of this is so that others can discover Jesus, too.
In order for you to know your gospel, fill in the answer to this sentence: Jesus is ____________________.
(Here are a few suggestions to get you started.)
a. Savior—Jesus rescued and saved me from a situation I couldn’t get out of.
b. He redeemed me and paid my debt for my sin that I could never repay.
c. He took my place in the judgment, stood up for me and atoned for me.
d. He healed me and reformed me from my addictions to sin.
e. He set me free and released me from slavery to my sin, shame and guilt.
f. He won the victory over death. Death does not have the last word.
g. He loved me. He came to find me because I was lost.
h. He called me and claimed me when no one else would.
Jesus is all these and more. Cultivate and act on your gospel. The Philippians flourished because they did these things—they partnered with God in the sharing of the gospel. They served in a way that advanced the gospel to every corner of the world. The Philippians could defend their belief of the gospel in a way that convinced others to believe and they lived out their belief in a worthy manner. Their love for Jesus led to their discipleship and their church outshined all the rest. Wouldn’t be amazing if that was the way people talked about us at Wheatland?
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11 NIV
Pastor Jen