Chapters 2 & 3
August 14, 2006
Lots of good thoughts on Chapter 1. We could write our own book with the content from our comments. Some thoughts on Chapter 2. Two main ideas that caught my attention. First Shane mentions what it was like to take the risk to move in with the homeless people. The result is that he saw God work in amazing ways. Help came from unexpected places. He mentions that because of the experience he “Became a believer in miracles.” Do we insulate ourselves from anything risky and in doing so eliminate the opportunity for God to work miracles in our lives? When was the last time you took a risk which would allow God to show up?
Second thought. Shane mentions what it was like to discover church. Church as the body of Christ rather than a building. “The body of Christ was literal, living, hungry, thirsty, bleeding.” Powerful because it is so easy to think of church as a place. A place where you put on a smile, clean up real nice and act like everything is great. I think that is exactly what satan wants. When we live in true community, open and honest, we become the church and everyone is changed.
It seems the true church is made up of those doing God’s will as Christ teaches and those are his disciples. Not to say there are not plenty of “believers” I think the difference as Shane found is that there are not so many disciples. To be a disciple is to take up the cross and follow Christ.So that others will see our good works and glorify our God in heaven. Matt.5:16 that is when God truly blesses. Still struggling to understand exactly what that means for me? Kind of turns everything upside down and makes you wonder if any of us are on the right track to do God’s will? Any thoughts on that?
I like how you mention the term disciple, beth, because I think of a disciple as someone who has not only heard the message of Jesus, but who is actually living it out. I think of the people who were following Jesus’ message and when it got too hard for them, most left. The true disciples stayed. There was a submission to God to do what needed to be done, not that their will be done, but God’s. It is absolutely necessary to be a disciple if we really want the body of Christ to be ‘living, hungry, thirsty, bleeding.’
You two are right about discipleship, or the lack of it in our churches. There is no question that Jesus calls us to the highest standard. How to live that out in our current world is a good question. Claiborne seems to be a disciple today who has taken steps that have completely turned his life upside down. What does the person do that has not chosen to do that, can he or she become a disiple again. And if so, does it mean moving to Africa? Of course, this is almost an identical question as the last chapter post. I don’t necessarily think that being a disciple means moving to Africa, but I think that it means that God will call you (as His disciple) to make decisions that will make moving to Africa look like an easy life change.
In response to a good question about David’s post, “Do we insulate ourselves from anything risky and in doing so eliminate the opportunity for God to work miracles in our lives?”
I would have to say without a doubt, yes. Most of us have made sure that there is not the slightest risk in our lives, but security reigns completely. Money comes up for me again, probably because Melissa and I are at the beginning of investing our money for our future and starting to think about saving. Immediately for me, I am hounded by how much money I could have when I am later in life. After reading chapter 3, I was touched by his time with Mother Theresa and the need in Africa. Bill Hybil at Willow Creek said once that if we do not do more to help the African countries, people will look back at our generation in the same way that we look back at those involved in the holocaust. How can we not take a risk when it is so obvious that it is the right thing to do. I am so focused on whether or not I should get cable TV and the like when that money could ease the suffering of so many. It would be quite a life changing event to live near the poverty there. Any takers to go with Melissa and I some day?
only one more thing, I promise…Jesus has definitely touched my heart through Chapter 3. thank you David for suggesting this book and for Christ’s pure love and the way He is speaking through it to me.
how is it affecting the rest of you more personally?
Matthew I am glad that the book is having a good impact on you. I think we have hit on the second main theme in the book which is what are we called to be just believers or disciples. Chap 3 is amazing. First the start where he quotes Kierkegaard, mentioning that we spend so much time thinking, debating, analyzing and examining christianity that we forget to live it. “Christian scholarship is the church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good christians without the Bible coming too close” The believe the challenge here is to live it. And maybe it is not as hard as we think. Maybe we don’t have to consider going to Africa or Calcutta maybe we can just start making decisions about loving people, about serving people, about not trying to be first or make sure our needs are met first. Maybe we can live it right here right now, today.
wow, great discussion and like David said it makes me feel inadequate as far as discipleship goes when I compare myself with those serving in other countries and seem to be helping and serving so many.. however, we can start by just loving our neighbor here and serving those around us with the love of Christ. It made me think when was the last time I invited my neighbor over for dinner? Then reading in Matthew Christ says if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the pagans do that?