Maybe that was bad theology - but we're all learning as we go.
I don't think those 12 guys had much of any clue what Jesus was asking of them - or how it would transform their lives. What we do know is that even when Jesus spoke again and again of the New Kingdom, they didn't quite get it. They thought He'd be the next Jewish Terminator coming to kick Roman butt and re-establish the Jewish nation.
But all the while Jesus was turning water to wine - casting out demons - multiplying bread and fish to feed a million - writing in dirt with sticks - healing anyone with disease - they still didn't have clear faith. None of them had prayed a prayer, gone thru membership class or been to a church service. In fact, on the evening before Jesus was going to entrust the future to them, one of them was actually of the devil and the rest of them weren't even Trinitarian.
Today, if we met someone who loved Jesus but they didn't know or realize He was God, I doubt we would call that person a Christian, let alone use them in ministry. Yet Jesus did.
Jesus invited these guys into a school of apprenticeship and pushed them into activity as spiritual leaders, all before their faith was fully formed. For Jesus, the process of discipleship was just that: a process. He wasn't concerned about who was 'in' or 'out,' or their level of knowledge or prior experience or love of people. What He did know was if He could get these guys involved or helping alongside Him, they'd learn about Him and His Kingdom, and someday they'd get the whole picture.
To push that point further, notice how Jesus let someone who He knew was 'out,' namely Judas, hang around at the same level of leadership as the rest of them. We have to be able to put on that same pair of inclusive glasses if we're going to be at peace with this new missional structure.
"OK, Mr. Smarty Pants. How do we control all those people and avoid trouble?" You don't all the time. Sometimes it's messy. (See October 1st blog.) But even messes are part of the Kingdom and may be the best tools to re-orient us back to our mission and to remind us why we do this church thing to begin with.
And be blessed.
6 comments:
What does this say about us? I think of Prov. 4:23 when I think of dealing with the world. We must Guard our Hearts all the time. I believe Christ guarded his Heart. That is why he was able to be so Loving and compassionate.
Love it! I was chuckling because I envisioned it like you said it, Hah.
And, I love this point:
They thought He'd be the next Jewish Terminator coming to kick Roman butt and re-establish the Jewish nation.
Hmmm...very interesting post! I always thought they were the very first Christians. I never thought it all thru this way. I love when you open up new thoughts in my mind...as you often do. I find new knowledge extremely intriguing and exciting. I hope I never lose my curiosity. This is just a nice way to end a tiring day.
PK- Grace, Victim, Gimmick and this one...great blog entries. Awesome insight in such short form.
For this one, am I misperceiving what's being said? I somewhat feel that you're saying those who are new to the faith are to be put into positions of ministry right away. I feel, though, that there needs to be somewhat of a "watch and learn" period. Look at the book of Luke for example. In Luke 5, Christ begins to call the 12 and by Luke 9 he has them doing ministry, but not until after they "watch and learn" in chapters 6-8.
During my time in ministry, when there are new converts in the faith, I usually have them go through some sort of discipleship "training" and I like to see a commitment from them before they do any kind of ministry. Based on this blog entry, am I incorrect in doing this?
Keep up the good work, and you be blessed! :)
WATCH AND LEARN? For how long?
There is ministry and then, there is ministry. New believers teaching long-standing believers? No. That doesn't make sense. But new believers doing other ministry where they can immediately get their feet wet? Definitely. How about unbelievers involving themselves in ministry within a Kingdom system they are 'trying out?' Why not?
I see what you're saying (though there's no need to yell with the all caps at the beginning). I do see a bit of a "watch and learn" in ministry in the Bible and the timing is up to God, but you're right. There needs to be opportunity for the new believer to minister in some capacity. What an error it would be to shut up the joy a new believer has and not allow them to minister. It's probably what drives new believers away from the church. My statement about not letting them do "any kind of ministry", is false. There's definitely a place, it may not be teaching a Christian Education class or preaching from the pulpit yet, but there is somewhere they can use what God gave them.
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