EDIM 24 - Disciple
Luke 14:28-30, "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish'."
That verse has really stood out this week, sort of like... the "backburner bible passage puzzler of the week". Now, in context, it's not to hard to understand a general meaning together with the other parables in the same chapter. Earlier on Jesus is speaking about some of the factors of being his disciple. Because it's a parable though, I think it can have more meanings, even if not biblically supported, as a parable. Anyway. That's all just whatever. Sometimes explaining becomes just a waste of time.
Investing time into building up another believer -not something flippant. There's a reason why close friends are rare, it takes substantial time to to upkeep a friendship, to build one. One of my first christian "rules" so to speak, was that we were to spread the gospel. That's true to a point, and some ministries/fields are best utilized that way. Yet in the immediate area of living, day job or whatever, it doesn't apply. Of course christian values should be upheld, of course I shouldn't hide a christian faith. There is, however, a difference between allowing the display of Christ within, and attempting to convert everybody. And I say convert in a good way, the difference between a pushy convert and simply a genuine personality geared towards sharing. Displaying a christian worldview is always good.
In Matthew 28 verse 19 Jesus says to go and make disciples. This hasn't really sunk in until the last few weeks, despite having been taught this lesson before. Disciples, not converts. The gospel is the power for the salvation of man, and attained not by good works, but by grace. This, given to us, and faith, also given to us. I am not reason someone comes to faith, God works that change in their heart. The gist of all this whatever is like showing someone how to drive, and then sending them to a rally car race through the wilderness. We are to make disciples, teaching them how to drive the rally car race, not converts, sending them to flaming deaths.
Then this parable in Luke really makes some sense. I don't know about you, but while I'm no construction engineer or carpenter, building things is pretty awesome. Who wouldn't want to build a hulking tower? And what better tower to build, in an analogical sense, than the faith of a new believer? To start is not very hard, but not something to be taken lightly. This has become hugely apparent to me. To engage a relationship to the point of conversion only to back off at that point 'job done well enough I can move on they're saved now" is simply wrong. That new convert will die. Wither, die, and become bitter to anything else to do with the gospel. Planting a seed of thought or watering the seed already there is good, we know not which we do, but taking the decision to invest time in a relationship with the purpose of saving a soul, becomes attached to you far after conversion.
With that in mind, do I have the resources to build this tower in entirety? To walk with this person, investing all kinds of my own resources, time, money, emotions, possessions, personal space? To invest all these things and perhaps more, until the tower is built strong enough to host a warrior within? If the answer is no, no matter how I want and desire to begin the investment, the outcome is dire. I am not here to save souls, but to do the work of God, and that is to make disciples. Jesus himself had 12. They were not just followers, they were close friends that he ate with, worked with, traveled with, everything. I'd hazard a guess that the amount of people I can maintain that relationship with is far lower. Only God's strength allows me to begin at all.
The ground for towers are all around us. It's tempting to jump in and start one, but that's not what I'm called too. Displaying Christ's love in us wherever we go is like dropping a bag of cement on the bare ground. The next person to walk by will see that beginning, that seed, and if willing in God's hands, will gently leave some tools at the site. In God's time, someone will witness the amazing change of that person, and begin work on the tower, aided in no small way by each individual beforehand. Truly, God knows what he is doing. Though no difference may be seen initially, living out a life for God plants many of these seeds, leaves those bags of cement all over in places not even realized.
Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding."
That verse has really stood out this week, sort of like... the "backburner bible passage puzzler of the week". Now, in context, it's not to hard to understand a general meaning together with the other parables in the same chapter. Earlier on Jesus is speaking about some of the factors of being his disciple. Because it's a parable though, I think it can have more meanings, even if not biblically supported, as a parable. Anyway. That's all just whatever. Sometimes explaining becomes just a waste of time.
Investing time into building up another believer -not something flippant. There's a reason why close friends are rare, it takes substantial time to to upkeep a friendship, to build one. One of my first christian "rules" so to speak, was that we were to spread the gospel. That's true to a point, and some ministries/fields are best utilized that way. Yet in the immediate area of living, day job or whatever, it doesn't apply. Of course christian values should be upheld, of course I shouldn't hide a christian faith. There is, however, a difference between allowing the display of Christ within, and attempting to convert everybody. And I say convert in a good way, the difference between a pushy convert and simply a genuine personality geared towards sharing. Displaying a christian worldview is always good.
In Matthew 28 verse 19 Jesus says to go and make disciples. This hasn't really sunk in until the last few weeks, despite having been taught this lesson before. Disciples, not converts. The gospel is the power for the salvation of man, and attained not by good works, but by grace. This, given to us, and faith, also given to us. I am not reason someone comes to faith, God works that change in their heart. The gist of all this whatever is like showing someone how to drive, and then sending them to a rally car race through the wilderness. We are to make disciples, teaching them how to drive the rally car race, not converts, sending them to flaming deaths.
Then this parable in Luke really makes some sense. I don't know about you, but while I'm no construction engineer or carpenter, building things is pretty awesome. Who wouldn't want to build a hulking tower? And what better tower to build, in an analogical sense, than the faith of a new believer? To start is not very hard, but not something to be taken lightly. This has become hugely apparent to me. To engage a relationship to the point of conversion only to back off at that point 'job done well enough I can move on they're saved now" is simply wrong. That new convert will die. Wither, die, and become bitter to anything else to do with the gospel. Planting a seed of thought or watering the seed already there is good, we know not which we do, but taking the decision to invest time in a relationship with the purpose of saving a soul, becomes attached to you far after conversion.
With that in mind, do I have the resources to build this tower in entirety? To walk with this person, investing all kinds of my own resources, time, money, emotions, possessions, personal space? To invest all these things and perhaps more, until the tower is built strong enough to host a warrior within? If the answer is no, no matter how I want and desire to begin the investment, the outcome is dire. I am not here to save souls, but to do the work of God, and that is to make disciples. Jesus himself had 12. They were not just followers, they were close friends that he ate with, worked with, traveled with, everything. I'd hazard a guess that the amount of people I can maintain that relationship with is far lower. Only God's strength allows me to begin at all.
The ground for towers are all around us. It's tempting to jump in and start one, but that's not what I'm called too. Displaying Christ's love in us wherever we go is like dropping a bag of cement on the bare ground. The next person to walk by will see that beginning, that seed, and if willing in God's hands, will gently leave some tools at the site. In God's time, someone will witness the amazing change of that person, and begin work on the tower, aided in no small way by each individual beforehand. Truly, God knows what he is doing. Though no difference may be seen initially, living out a life for God plants many of these seeds, leaves those bags of cement all over in places not even realized.
Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding."
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