Jesus' Discipleship Practices...Initiating Relationships and Passionate Prayer

 


The picture is that of Zacchaeus up a sycamore tree wanting to get a glimpse of Jesus passing by.  He had no idea that Jesus knew his name or was to call him down from the tree to have a meal with him at his house.  He had no idea that Jesus would defend him before the judging crowd.  Jesus stopped, looked up and called out to him.  Jesus initiated a relationship.  We see this as one of the discipleship practices of Jesus and therefore also of us His followers.  We have Zacchaeus's all around us and we need to stop, look toward them and speak to them by name.  

A couple principles to guide us as followers of Jesus are such:

How we "do" things in life should be shaped by what we read in the Bible.

Our "ultimate" and "prime" example to mimic is Jesus Christ our Lord.

Another great initiating relationship example is Jesus meeting Matthew the tax collector and then going to his home for a gathering of tax collectors and sinners.  Matthew 9:10 says,

Then in happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house,

behold, many tax collectors and sinners came

and were dining with Jesus and His disciples.

The key words are at, many and with: at - Matthew's turf; many - Matthew's group; and  with - Matthew's food. 

It is good to look at what keeps us as ambassadors of God's kingdom from being ambassadors of Him to this kingdom.

Another of Jesus' discipleship practices is passionate prayer.  Jesus taught His disciples how to pray.  Jesus went up on the mountain to pray.  Jesus called God "Father" when He prayed.  Jesus spent all night in prayer.  Jesus is speaking to us about something that He is still doing in heaven interceding for us before the Father.

This is another tough discipleship practice to keep up.  We find Peter, James and John sleeping instead of praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.  All the spiritual disciplines take effort because we are presently in this world and not the next.  We have to remind ourselves that great benefits from things like prayer.

The armor of God found in Ephesians 6 ends with prayer in verses 18-20.  Paul instructs on prayer but then also asks them to pray for him.  The great Paul is showing his dependence on God and asking God's people to intercede for him before God with their prayers.  Again, we need to look at what keeps us from being people of prayer and especially when we are together with other Christians.

There are more Jesus' discipleship practices to come in the near future.  It is always good to follow up any teaching with a practical application.  

Pray right now of who God wants you to recognize today.  2 birds with 1 stone.

Adam



A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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