Category: Year B

Jesus the Mentor (Mark 3:13-19)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Exploring Church Ministry Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Jesus and the Disciples, by Rudolph Bostic

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preachand to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealotand Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (New International Version)

For me, every place in Holy Scripture is significant, even the seemingly mundane portions of it. Today’s verses might appear rather insignificant. However, there is some important meaning to recording who Christ called as his disciples and why he did it.

Jesus appointed twelve Jewish men to be his close disciples, his apostles. In choosing them, let’s not read into it something that isn’t there. This choosing, in no way, is meant to convey that church leadership boards are always supposed to have twelve men. It seems to me, that if such churches believe this, they ought to go all the way by insisting that they ought also to be Jewish Christians – no Gentiles on the election ballot at the annual meeting!

Excluding women, maintaining a particular number of people to a group, or considering only one ethnicity to leadership is nowhere to be interpreted in this text of Scripture. I can imagine Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father raising a Spock-like eyebrow to such hermeneutical gymnastics and stating the lone word, “fascinating!”

A disciple is a follower. An apostle is one who is sent out with a specific purpose. Jesus called these particular people in order to send them out with a mission. In other words, Christ’s disciples are really missionaries. And these apostles, these missionaries, are appointed in order that they might be with Jesus, follow him everywhere, learn from him, and then have the received authority to go out and accomplish the mission given them to do.

An apostle can only properly carry out the instructions of the Teacher by first being a disciple who spends copious amounts of time in that Teacher’s presence. Indeed, if we are looking for some contemporary application in these more mundane texts of Scripture, let us find here an insight into our own Christian formation.

Jesus and the Disciples, by John Mathews

Christian ministry is rightly patterned after the Teacher we follow, Jesus our Lord. Christ himself demonstrated for us the way of mentoring or discipling, through his own words and actions. He called particular individuals, taught them, and equipped them for spiritual warfare in this world by granting them authority to do the work.

If we need a pattern, there it is. It’s a model of mentoring others in the ways of Christian mission and ministry. The idea is that we call, teach, equip, and authorize others in the words and ways of Jesus. I really don’t much care what you call it: Christian discipling, relational mentoring, small group teaching, spiritually forming, or any other word or phrase.

The important thing is to actually understand and do this very Christ-like work of developing mature followers of Jesus who can do the important work of spiritual warfare and ministry, then in turn, develop others. We are to pass on a body of faith and doctrine, of mission and ministry, to a group of people who will do the work. And they then do the same for others.

I rather like the word “mentoring” because for most people it evokes the idea of putting time and effort into some relationships for a specific purpose. And when we look at Christianity as a great mentoring project, perhaps we will see why church is becoming a byword in many parts of the Western world. This also ought to perhaps clue us into how we might move forward as Christians.

I am suggesting that, generally speaking, we have neglected this pattern of Jesus in calling, teaching, equipping, and authorizing. It is one large reason why there is such a decline in church attendance (and participation) in the West. And until we collectively take up this mantle of mentoring ministry, we shall continue to lessen, because we are irrelevant to people’s daily lives – both inside and outside the church.

As a first course of action, I invite you – no matter your age or stage in life – to make it a priority to simply “hang out” with individuals and groups of people. Maybe that sounds like an extrovertish sort of thing to do. However, this invitation is coming from me, an introvert. I didn’t say you have to be the life of the party, or engage in a lot of talking. But I am saying that mature followers of Jesus ought to strongly consider some intentional relationships with people other than family and a few friends.

Hang out around any given church, on any given Sunday, after any given worship service, and you are likely to see small groups of people talking with each other. Those groups typically center around friends according to age. What is often lacking are intentional interactions between the generations.  

Ethiopian Orthodox Church depiction of Christ and his disciples

The younger generations (particularly persons aged 18-29) often need and want to have relationships with more experienced (older!) believers in the faith. Younger adults, however, tend to lack the confidence to go after older adults in order to be mentored or influenced by them. I believe the onus is on the older generations to go after the younger.  

Maybe I’m just old, but it seems like younger generations have an incredible array of relationships, differing levels of friendship, and a complexity to their interactions that I didn’t have “back in my day.” What’s different, it seems, is that their relationships are more gray, and less black and white. And they appear to do a solid amount of hanging out.

Hanging out is typically sitting around with a group of people, eating and drinking, watching movies, studying (or doing bible study) or any other activity. Its doing just about anything, but doing it together with others. And this is the perfect environment for initially establishing how to begin living into the words and ways of Jesus to mentor others.

One of the things we older folks can do is to really understand the reality of younger generations’ relational interactions. For example, when I lived in a university town I used to often just “hang out” with college students, with no agenda other than just being with them. The local Perkins restaurant was at its busiest at midnight, filled with college students hanging out.

There are places in every town and city where young adults go, especially the bar scene. Bars aren’t just places to drink, but are locations of conviviality where persons have the chance to be around one another in a kind of secular church where fellowship happens, looking for a chance to relate meaningfully with others.

All people desire intimacy and want to know that someone else cares about them. This is a very real and felt need. How that need is going to be met can be either legitimate or illegitimate. And we can help with that.

One of the best things we can do for others is to communicate to them that we “have their back,” that we care, love, and genuinely like them.

No one can sniff out a disingenuous attitude quite like a young adult. So, our interactions have to be an authentic desire to be around them. Also, this does not mean we have to pretend to be younger than we are. Instead, one of the greatest needs a young person has is to be in a mentoring relationship with someone older and wiser who can help them navigate life and bring some sort of definition to relationships that they may lack.

The older generations could learn to “hang out” with younger generations and find individuals for whom they can build a solid one on one or group relationship with. If they can have such relationships now, it will serve them for a lifetime.

It seems to me that, as I look at the biblical text, being a mentor, and walking alongside another with love, grace, and wisdom, is built into Christianity by Jesus himself. So, let’s consider how we might best go about this important work.

May your love overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what really matters, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 3:9-11, NRSV)

God Is Bigger (Psalm 46)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
    though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
    God will help it when the morning dawns.
The nations are in an uproar; the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice; the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Come, behold the works of the Lord;
    see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God!
    I am exalted among the nations;
    I am exalted in the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our refuge. (New Revised Standard Version)

Fear is one of those things that we don’t get over simply by telling ourselves to not be afraid. In fact, that approach typically makes us even more fearful – namely, because we focus on the fear itself. But to cope and deal with fear, it requires a focus on something bigger than the fear.

God is bigger than the boogie man.
He’s bigger than Godzilla,
or the monsters on TV.
Oh, God is bigger than the boogie man.
And He’s watching out for you and me.

So, when I’m lying in my bed,
and the furniture starts creeping,
I’ll just laugh and say,
“Hey, cut that out!”
And get back to my sleeping.
‘Cause I know that God’s the biggest,
and He’s watching all the while.
So, when I get scared I’ll think of Him,
and close my eyes and smile.

God is bigger than the boogie man.
He’s bigger than Godzilla,
or the monsters on TV.
Oh, God is bigger than the boogie man.
And He’s watching out for you and me. – VeggieTales

Psalms and songs of trust in God help us focus on divine hugeness instead of human puniness.

Changing Circumstances

Even though people may find themselves in the dire straits of natural disasters, they can have confidence smack in the middle of all the crazy chaos. Whereas those who focus on their fear become ever more anxious and feel as if the world is out of control, the believer isn’t threatened when overwhelming circumstances occur.

We will not fear, because God – who created the world and its vast natural systems – stands above it all and is therefore able to establish order out of chaos. Just as we are certain that the sun will again rise in the morning, so too, we have full confidence that God shall rise over the darkness and bring light and warmth to all that is shadowy and cold.

Shaky Politics

The nations and their governments who rule with injustice and care nothing for religion, breathe-out their threats and posture themselves as supreme leaders. They, too, are chaotic forces. But God is far above them, as well as above the flood and the famine. The leader’s bellicose blustering sounds merely like a chattering chipmunk to God.

And like natural disasters, the uproar of the nations does damage; but national leaders cannot topple God. Instead, God will shake up the unjust nations, like a protein shake in a blender. When delusional leaders encounter the voice of God, they cower in fear – but God’s people don’t. The spiritual person’s foundation will not be shaken, whereas the would-be dictator will find himself without anyone to lead.

A Working God

God is always working, albeit most of the time behind the scenes. God’s dominion extends over everything and everyone. God can obliterate any and all threats because God is everywhere present.

Based on this view of God, all we as people need do is be still and know that the Lord is God. Like Jesus rebuking the waves and the sea, resulting in immediate stillness, so God’s word brings us stillness, calmness, and freedom from fear and anxiety.

God is with us. God is in control. God cares for us. There are a lot of things we don’t know – such as why we have to personally endure the natural disasters and the unnatural dictators – but we can know without a shadow of a doubt that the presence of God surrounds us, and the love of God squeezes us.

With a transcendent Being who commands the angelic hosts of heaven, our source of security comes not from within but from without. The Lord is a trustworthy God who is vigilant in watching over us.

Trusting the Lord

Armies, security systems, and protective coverings all have their needed purpose in human life. Yet, when we look to our ultimate protection – the kind that provides security of both body and soul – it is God’s presence that sustains our highest and greatest needs.

Perhaps you understand the psalm’s message, yet still find it difficult or untenable to place faith in such an ancient writing and an even older God. Maybe you much prefer to trust in something that isn’t so ethereal, something you can engage with your five senses.

It could be that you prefer a strong political leader, more and bigger weapons, higher and thicker walls of protection. You work hard to have as much money as possible to keep you safe from harm. You seek to gain as much influence in the form of earthly power and authority as you can.

The problem is, however, that none of this earthly posturing is going to protect you from what you fear the most. All that work is going to prove unreliable in the end.

God is the only sure defense. Ultimate power belongs to the Lord God almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Deliverance of body and soul does not ultimately come through the strength of the military, the economy, or any human ingenuity or hard work; for the Christian, it comes through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Any inclination to place saving trust in personal resources, human institutions, or world might, will result in sure failure. They cannot remedy our fear, for nothing is able to match the power of God. Indeed, God is bigger than anyone and anything. We need the mighty fortress which is our God.

A mighty Fortress is our God
A Bulwark never failing
Our Helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing

For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe
His craft and power are great
And armed with cruel and hate
On earth is not his equal

Did we in our own strength confide
Our striving would be losing
We’re not the right Man on our side
The Man of God’s own choosing
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He
Lord Sabaoth His Name
From age to age, the same
And He must win the battle

That word above all earthly powers
No, thanks to them, abideth
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him who with us sideth
Let goods and kindred go
This mortal life also
The body they may kill
God’s truth abideth still
His Kingdom is forever

Amen

Hang In There (1 Corinthians 7:17-24)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. (New International Version)

Whenever a person converts to Christianity and becomes a follower of Jesus, they experience new life. They don’t, however, experience reincarnation. They’re still the same person – not a different one altogether.

If the convert was married, it doesn’t matter if their spouse is a convert, or not; they’re still married and need to hang in there and remain married, albeit with a new way of being with them.

There is no magical wiping away of situations, circumstances, jobs, family, and relationships with becoming a Christian. Hopefully, a new orientation of grace, truth, and love begins to permeate it all. But all those people and situations are still there, and need to be dealt with.

So, the Apostle Paul gave some very practical social instruction to the Corinthian converts to Christ. He was rather pointed in communicating to them in not using the occasion of conversion to go someplace else and/or be with someone else. Nor is it proper to daydream of a reincarnated life; stick with the new redeemed life you have received.

The place where you became a Christian is the place to start living the Christian life. Obey God, follow the Lord’s words and ways, live out your redemption right there. Why? Because your new identity as belonging to God – not your marital status, vocation, or anything else – defines your life and determines how you are to live. And Paul was consistent on that instruction in all of the churches he established.

For the Jew in Paul’s day, circumcision was the defining mark of religion and identity. To marry an uncircumcised non-Jewish person was unthinkable; it defiled a relationship and made it impure. But the Apostle insisted that Jewishness (or non-Jewishness) isn’t actually the point of living the Christian life. What’s really important is obeying God’s call and following Christ’s commands, period.

Therefore, the convert ought to stay where they are – no matter what their marital status or social position is. Believing in Christ and following Jesus transcends all of it. Whether one is a slave, or not, faith obliterates any and all obstacles to God. If a person comes to faith and converts to Christianity, they still might be in human bondage; but they have freedom in Christ.

Hopefully, the slave’s spiritual freedom will work itself out in actual physical freedom. The point, however, is that – whether slave or free – the person belongs to God and neither bondage nor freedom will ever hinder the individual from realizing spiritual redemption.

In many different ways, we are all both slaves and free persons. The best situation is to be a bondservant of Christ and a slave to no one else. Yet, if circumstances are not ideal, the reality is that one’s union with Christ can never be severed by any human institution or authority.

Once we convert, and enter into a life-giving free relationship with God in Christ, Paul exhorts all believers to be vigilant: Don’t slip back into old ways of spiritual bondage and capitulate to a shameful society. After all, Christ – whom the convert serves – has paid the true ultimate sacrifice of himself on the cross for the sake of all humanity.

So, hang in there, stay in the place and position where you were called by God, and reorient your life with Christ in the middle of it. In doing this, every believer can persevere through adversity, hold onto the gift of faith, and make a difference in the society to which one belongs.

Blessed and holy God, grant us the Spirit of wisdom and discernment so that we may know Christ better and love you more. Give us an understanding heart so that we may be open to hear your divine voice, and the courage to walk in the way of your commands.

Use us, your people who belong to Christ, to be your hands and feet – your voice and heart, so that we may be a channel through which you pour out your grace to help others – may we decrease and Christ increase, so that Jesus is seen in our lives, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Follow Me (Mark 1:14-20)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Come Follow Me, by Jorge Cocco Santángelo 

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of God and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. (New Revised Standard Version)

For all the talk of leadership, developing leaders, and being a leader, there is precious little conversation these days about becoming a follower. Perhaps we have such a dearth of leadership for this very reason, because one can only become a good leader if they experientially know what being a follower is.

The Call of Jesus

The call of Jesus is to pursue him, and he will develop us. Follow Jesus, and he’ll show you how to fish for people. All of Christ’s original disciples listened to Jesus, dropped everything they were doing, and immediately followed him.

I am wondering what would make you drop literally everything you are presently doing to pursue an entirely new life. I am curious what would cause you to follow Jesus without any conditions attached whatsoever. 

I am impressed that Peter and Andrew immediately responded to Jesus. They didn’t question Jesus as to whether this was a short term project or a long term assignment he was calling them to. They did not seek a contract with Jesus or ask how he would impact their stock portfolio. 

The first disciples simply dropped everything and left with Jesus.

I suspect they followed Jesus for the same reason I originally decided to follow him – because Jesus is such a compelling person, so gracious, interesting, and loving, that it was really no decision at all. Everything else pales in comparison with Jesus.

Read all four Gospels and the book of Acts and you will find that believers in Jesus follow Jesus; and those who do not follow Jesus are not believers. Followers follow, and those who do not follow are not Christ’s followers.

Jesus still calls people. He calls us to follow him and he will make us fishers of humanity. Maybe you are concerned about this and say, “I have no idea how to fish for people.” The good news is that Jesus said he would make us fishers of people. Jesus is not looking for people with skills he can use; instead, he calls, then develops people into fishers.

Christ always forms people with the ability to follow his call. Jesus will train us; we only need to answer the call to follow. 

When I was five years old my Dad took the training wheels off my bike and told me to ride it. I told him I couldn’t. He told me to get on the bike and he would run beside me. I got on the bike and started to ride with him holding it. When I began to panic, approaching a tree, I started talking to my Dad. But he didn’t answer… because he wasn’t beside me. He dropped out from shagging me a long way back.

We are not called to follow Jesus based on our skills, but on the lack of them so that Jesus will do in us a work of total allegiance and loyalty to the kingdom of God. 

Jesus will make sure to develop the skills we need in order to do what he has called us to do. We only need to hear and answer the call of Jesus to follow. The following is a parable about the church and being fishers of people: 

“Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. Week after week those who called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how they might go about fishing. They discussed the importance of fishing and that fishing is the task of every fisherman.  They listened to special speakers talk about fishing and they promoted fishing and looked at all the latest equipment for fishing. They built large buildings called ‘Fishing Headquarters’ so that they could tell as many people as possible about fishing. They organized boards of people to send out fishermen to other places. They offered teaching and classes on how to fish and the best and latest fishing methods. With much training a good many persons got their fishing licenses and became upstanding members of Fishing Headquarters. There was just one thing that they did not do: They didn’t fish. When one person dared to suggest that those who do not catch fish are really not fishermen, the group became angry and kicked that crazy person out their group.”

The Message of Jesus

Jesus said the kingdom of God is near, so repent and believe the good news. For Jesus, the word “kingdom” means God’s intentions and will for this world to come true. Jesus was saying that he is creating a new society – which meant Caesar was not Lord and that people’s loyalty was not ultimately to the Roman Empire. 

The kingdom of heaven, God’s dream society, will eventually spread across the entire earth so that the whole world is God’s sacred space, devoted to love, shaped by justice, living in peace, and abounding with wisdom.  Jesus encouraged us to pray consistent with this idea saying, “May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

If we find ourselves not really working toward Christ’s idea of kingdom, then we need to “repent and believe the good news” that God is working toward restoring all things to their original beauty and luster. The word “repent” means a change of mind which leads to a change of behavior. And “believe” means to put all your eggs in God’s kingdom basket.

None of this is a suggestion, but is rather a straightforward call to follow Jesus in his kingdom building enterprise on this earth. It would, therefore, be a travesty to simply think about the message for a while and follow Jesus if we feel like it, or get around to it.

Jesus wants to make fishers within family systems, workplaces, neighborhoods, and all the places within a typical sphere of living: This requires the following:

  1. Go where the fish are. Fishing would be easy if we could put a basket by the water and have the fish jump into them! But that is not how it works. Rather, it takes intentional activities that connect people together.
  2. Cast the nets. Peter and Andrew did more than take their boat out to the middle of the lake. To catch fish, they threw their nets into the water. Here is what I believe this means for us: We do what is fair and just to our neighbors. We extend compassion to them and are steadfast in our love, even when others are unlovely. And we do not take ourselves too seriously.
  3. Obey Jesus and walk with him. After Christ’s resurrection, Jesus came to some of the disciples, who had fished unsuccessfully all night. He told them to throw their nets on the other side of the boat – which seemed like nonsense, but they did it anyway. It resulted in a great catch (John 21:1-14). During the three years of Christ’s earthly ministry, the disciples did everything with him – they walked, talked, and ate with Jesus. And when he ascended to heaven, they acted on the Great Commission given to them by Jesus to make other disciples.

May God cleanse our lips and our lives so that we might proclaim the good news of Christ’s kingdom with glad and sincere hearts to the glory of Father, Son, and Spirit.

Eternal God, the refuge and help of all your children, we praise you for all you have given us, for all you have done for us, for all that you are to us. In our weakness, you are strength, in our darkness, you are light, in our sorrow, you are comfort and peace. We cannot number your blessings; we cannot declare your love: For all your blessings we bless you. May we live as in your presence, and love the things that you love, and serve you in our daily lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.