Discipleship 101

All of life and all of the world called to follow Christ's authority

2 Timothy 1:9-10 “…who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our  works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel…”

“On two separate occasions Peter received the call ‘Follow me.’ It was the first and the last word Jesus spoke to his disciple (Mark 1:17; John 21:22). A whole life lies between these two calls. The first occasion was by the lake of Gennesareth, when Peter lest his nets and his craft and followed Jesus at his word. The second occasion is when the Risen Lord finds him back at his old trade. Once again it is by the lake of Gennesareth, and once again the call is, “Follow me.’” The Cost of Discipleship, pp. 45-46.

My inclination and disposition does not fit with Christ’s call to service. Bonhoeffer, remember with regard to discipleship, says Christ summons a man to come and die. I don’t die well. Jesus commands followership that is one’s life in toto. The same for the world—all things are under Him.

When Paul speaks of God who has “saved us and called us with a holy calling,” I am reminded that He had to shake up my life. He had to invade and subdue my life. Otherwise I would continue to live in rebellion. Today I preached on the working of God’s exceeding greatness toward us who believe (Eph. 1:19). My main goal centered on God’s provision of His Son to overcome death and hell and to place Him as the One and Only who is seated at the right of God and reigning over all. “…He put all things under His feet…”

At Christ’s resurrection the whole world came under His dominion. We get the on-set of the entire world being subdued—all things which He made, all things in providence under His authority, all things under God with their various functions and uses. The whole world and everything in it must follow in discipleship.

All things: my self-centered attitudes and ways, my past, present and future, the skeleton and muscles of my body, my parents and siblings, my wife and children, the neighborhood, city, county and state, the church where I serve, the nation with her election year, education and economics, ladybugs and laser surgery, galaxies and germs, and property taxes and verb tenses.

The whole of my life—very similar to Jesus’ call to Peter—is to be for the Lord. The whole world, as well, is in discipleship to the Lord. He tells me, and He tells the world, “Come and follow.”

G. Mark Sumpter