Bonhoeffer- 'It is therefore abundantly clear that we cannot play off the various accounts of the calling of the disciples against other parts of the gospel narrative. It is not a question of stepping into the shoes of the disciples, or of any other of the New Testament characters. The only constant factor throughout is the sameness of Christ and of His call then and now. His word is one and the same, whether it was addressed during his earthly life to the paralyzed or the disciples, or whether it is speaking to us to-day. Here, as there, we receive the gracious summons to enter his kingdom and his glory. It is dangerous to ask whether we are to draw a parallel between ourselves and the disciples or ourselves and the paralytic. We may not compare ourselves to either. All we have to do is to hear the word and obey the will of Christ, in whatever part of the scripture testimony it is proclaimed. The scriptures do not present us with a series of Christian types to be imitated according to choice: they preach to us in every situation the one Jesus Christ. To him alone must I listen. He is everywhere one and the same.
To the question-- where to-day do we hear the call of Jesus to discipleship, there is no other answer than this: Hear the Word, receive the Sacrament: in it hear him himself, and you will hear his call.'
My thoughts-
Psa 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
Psa 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
Psa 95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Joh_10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Heb 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Heb 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness
Joh 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Joh 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Joh 10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Joh 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
*******
Hear HIS voice.
Know HIS voice.
He is the Good Shepherd, He knows His sheep, and is known by His sheep.
Jesus said-- Follow me...
Mat_4:19 And he saith unto them, FOLLOW ME, and I will make you fishers of men.
Mat_8:22 But Jesus said unto him, FOLLOW ME; and let the dead bury their dead.
Mat_9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, FOLLOW ME. And he arose, and followed him.
Mat_16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and FOLLOW ME.
Mat_19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and FOLLOW ME.
Mar_2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, FOLLOW ME. And he arose and followed him.
Mar_8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and FOLLOW ME.
Mar_10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and FOLLOW ME.
Luk_5:27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, FOLLOW ME.
Luk_9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and FOLLOW ME.
Luk_9:59 And he said unto another, FOLLOW ME. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Luk_18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, FOLLOW ME.
Joh_1:43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, FOLLOW ME.
Joh_10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they FOLLOW ME:
Joh_12:26 If any man serve me, let him FOLLOW ME; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
Joh_21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, FOLLOW ME.
The Good Shepherd calls to His sheep- follow me.
Jesus said … 'IF ANY MAN'.
Jesus said… 'other sheep which are not of this fold'
Jesus, as we've learned several times- prayed to the Father for US- Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word
Jesus is speaking to US all of US!
The only criteria in order to be a disciple of Jesus was to FOLLOW HIM- BELIEVE HIM- LIVE HIM.
He must be in all we do, not in some of the things we do, but in all the things we do, He must be living in us- guiding us, loving us. We must choose to LET Him be with us in ALL we do. We have the ability to shut Him out of our lives and He will NEVER force Himself into our lives, not ever! He never advocated any forced belief in Him, not once!
He would be our God and He wants us to be His people!
To ask whether or not you've been called to be a Christ follower, the answer is a very simple one: yes, you have, as we all have been. All are given a chance, a choice!
Discipleship is something amazing, something very wonderful but only if it is a costly discipleship, not one constructed by cheap grace. The cost of our Discipleship was Jesus Christ Himself! And we are called to a real LIFE of discipleship, not some weekly game, not some twice a year act of obedience, but a LIFE, a daily life of discipleship. Not a discipleship that you pull on like a robe as you enter a church building and quickly discard on the way out, but a REAL LIVING, BREATHING DISCIPLESHIP! A life as a disciple.
Is there any wonder few will find that strait gate? We make up too many false ways of calling ourselves disciples, and every single one of those ways will lead us to death, eternal perishing.
We must be Christ's disciple, this is the truth we are called to, a truth we must live as I've already said- in ALL we do!
By YOUR GRACE LORD, by YOUR GRACE!
To the question-- where to-day do we hear the call of Jesus to discipleship, there is no other answer than this: Hear the Word, receive the Sacrament: in it hear him himself, and you will hear his call.'
My thoughts-
Psa 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
Psa 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
Psa 95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Joh_10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Heb 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Heb 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness
Joh 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Joh 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Joh 10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Joh 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
*******
Hear HIS voice.
Know HIS voice.
He is the Good Shepherd, He knows His sheep, and is known by His sheep.
Jesus said-- Follow me...
Mat_4:19 And he saith unto them, FOLLOW ME, and I will make you fishers of men.
Mat_8:22 But Jesus said unto him, FOLLOW ME; and let the dead bury their dead.
Mat_9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, FOLLOW ME. And he arose, and followed him.
Mat_16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and FOLLOW ME.
Mat_19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and FOLLOW ME.
Mar_2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, FOLLOW ME. And he arose and followed him.
Mar_8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and FOLLOW ME.
Mar_10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and FOLLOW ME.
Luk_5:27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, FOLLOW ME.
Luk_9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and FOLLOW ME.
Luk_9:59 And he said unto another, FOLLOW ME. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Luk_18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, FOLLOW ME.
Joh_1:43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, FOLLOW ME.
Joh_10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they FOLLOW ME:
Joh_12:26 If any man serve me, let him FOLLOW ME; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
Joh_21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, FOLLOW ME.
The Good Shepherd calls to His sheep- follow me.
Jesus said … 'IF ANY MAN'.
Jesus said… 'other sheep which are not of this fold'
Jesus, as we've learned several times- prayed to the Father for US- Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word
Jesus is speaking to US all of US!
The only criteria in order to be a disciple of Jesus was to FOLLOW HIM- BELIEVE HIM- LIVE HIM.
He must be in all we do, not in some of the things we do, but in all the things we do, He must be living in us- guiding us, loving us. We must choose to LET Him be with us in ALL we do. We have the ability to shut Him out of our lives and He will NEVER force Himself into our lives, not ever! He never advocated any forced belief in Him, not once!
He would be our God and He wants us to be His people!
To ask whether or not you've been called to be a Christ follower, the answer is a very simple one: yes, you have, as we all have been. All are given a chance, a choice!
Discipleship is something amazing, something very wonderful but only if it is a costly discipleship, not one constructed by cheap grace. The cost of our Discipleship was Jesus Christ Himself! And we are called to a real LIFE of discipleship, not some weekly game, not some twice a year act of obedience, but a LIFE, a daily life of discipleship. Not a discipleship that you pull on like a robe as you enter a church building and quickly discard on the way out, but a REAL LIVING, BREATHING DISCIPLESHIP! A life as a disciple.
Is there any wonder few will find that strait gate? We make up too many false ways of calling ourselves disciples, and every single one of those ways will lead us to death, eternal perishing.
We must be Christ's disciple, this is the truth we are called to, a truth we must live as I've already said- in ALL we do!
By YOUR GRACE LORD, by YOUR GRACE!
No comments:
Post a Comment