Biblical Places Spiritual Spaces Sea of Galilee
A lifestyle of making disciples
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
This is a passage of Scripture that is often called the “Great Commission”. It is where missionaries have traditionally gotten their “marching orders” to go to other countries and evangelize unreached people.
I first heard this message at a concert on Maui by a famous Christian singer, who’s latest album was titled “Jesus Commands Us To Go!”. I was so excited afterward that I told my cousin Kean that I was ready to go to any place and tell the people about Jesus.
He looked at me, and with a smile asked me: “How would you like to go to an island in the Pacific where less than five percent of the people attend church on Sunday?”
I responded excitedly: “Let’s go!”.
He calmly said: “You are standing on it!”
In the early 1980’s, church attendance on Maui was incredibly low. I got the message. Maui was a good place to share the Good News. I didn’t have to “go”. I was already “there”. It was a few years later in my studies that I understood why the Great Commission is often misunderstood as a command to pack your bags, leave your home, and go work in a foreign culture. There are a few words in the famous passage that should be understood in their original context.
- The word translated “Go” is the Greek word “poreuomai” which has the meaning to pursue the journey on which one has entered; to continue on one’s journey; to proceed.
- “Therefore” is the Greek word “oun” which means therefore, accordingly, consequently, or these things being so.
- The next word, translated “Make Disciples” is the key word. It is mathēteuō, which has the meaning of: to be a disciple of one, to follow his precepts and instructions; or to make a disciple; to teach, instruct.
- Of the four verbs in this passage (Go, make, teach, baptize) this word mathēteuō is only verb in the Imperative (aorist), command form.
- The other three verbs are in the “continuous action” form.
- The final significant word, often translated “Nations” is Ethnos: a race, nation, people group.
- Putting all these concepts together, and understanding the grammar, we hear Jesus literally saying:
All Authority in the Universe has been given to me. Since these things are so, pursue the journey on which you have entered, and disciple the races and ethnic people groups, teaching them all the things I told you and baptizing them. Remember, I will be with you always as you do this.”
Wherever in the world that we happen to be “going”, Jesus commands us to be about the business of making disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them the Word of God. It is that direct, and that simple.
Peter was told by Jesus (John 21) to not only “follow” but to “Feed My Sheep” and “Tend My Lambs”.
Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep. John 21:17
He said to him, “Follow Me!” John 21:19
The First stage in Discipleship is Being a Disciple of Jesus. Now the second stage is the natural progression of every true disciple: Making Disciples.
Paul communicated a similar message to his disciple Timothy.
You have heard me teach many things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others.
2 Timothy 2:2 NLT
There are many “modern formulas” for discipleship. Some involve heavy-handed authoritarian oversight of new converts, while others focus on simply numbers of personal commitments to Christ. These programs often set aside time in the week for “disciple-making activities” that will bring people into the church in a focused, systematic manner. Building the Kingdom becomes a “program” that if we put in our time, and follow the formula, that will bring “great numbers” into our local churches.
The Biblical record suggests another manner.
Relational Disciplesip
We see it in the life of Jesus, and in the lives of the brothers and sisters of the Early Church. Some of my most significant learning experiences in life have followed this model of relational discipleship.
When I was in flight training in the Navy, one valuable skill that we had to acquire was flying in formation with other airplanes– we’re talking “Blue Angels” tight formations. My first attempt at flying six feet from the wingtip of the lead aircraft resulted in wild, dangerous gyrations, until my instructor took over and showed me how it was done– with gentle movements of the stick and throttle.
Then he told me to place my right hand on the stick and left hand on the throttle so that I could feel his smooth movements. Soon he told me that I was to control the jet, with his hands monitoring my movements. After many minutes of this, he told me look back in the mirrors. I did, and to my surprise, he was holding his hands high over his head, off the controls. I had been was flying six feet from the lead aircraft all by myself!
Think back on how you have acquired a skill or knowledge. It’s a process that here on Earth usually involves four steps, in this order:
1) I do it; 2) I do it with You; 3) You do it with Me; 4) You do it.
This is the basic process where you personally pass on skill to another person through a working relationship. My experience learning to fly in formation followed these basic steps.
First my instructor positioned the jet 20 feet from the wingtip of the leader; Then he told me to place my hands on the stick and feel his slight movements to stay in position. Then he told me to take control of the jet while he guided my hands. We did that for about five minutes. Then I heard him tell me to look in the rearview mirror. He was sitting with both hands up. I have been flying the jet in position myself.
My pastor on Maui, Craig Englert, first articulated this process to me in 1982, after we had been spending time together. Craig is the master of relational discipleship. He first invited me to a Bible study. Once he discovered that I could play guitar, he asked me to “help him lead worship”. After a few weeks, he asked me to pick out the songs and he would help me. Finally one night he announced that now I would lead worship myself. The four step process was complete!
My first intensive weapons training in the Navy happened at El Centro California in November 1975, far from our home base in Whidbey Island Washington. El Centro was in the desert of Southern California near the Salton Sea where the Navy had many ringed targets with spotting towers. We were there for two weeks of isolation and concentrated training- away from family, friends, and other distractions. At our base on Whidbey Island, we spent time in the classroom learning the theory of visual dive bombing. Now was the time for the practical application.
The schedule at El Centro involved two flights a day, and sometimes one of them was at night. We would arrive over the target area at 10,000 above, orbiting over the three 100 foot apart concentric rings painted in the desert sand with a 20 foot bulls eye ring in the middle. To place a metal object inside the outer 300 foot ring seemed daunting. How would we get our smoke charged practice bombs inside the 100 ft. ring, much less on the Bullseye? How was this going to work?
The theory was to hit a “40 degree angle cone” around the target at exactly 10,000 feet above, and at 250 kts of airspeed, and roll the A-6 inverted, and pull the nose down into the bulls eye, and plunge yourself toward the ground- a quite unnatural act. The Intruder was now accelerating rapidly, and you checked to ensure you were on that 40 degree cone. Glancing at the altimeter, it was unwinding a thousand feet a second- the ground getting dangerously close- all the while the Intruder was accelerating toward 500 kts of airspeed.
Now came the hard part- getting the bomb on the target. You had to first ignore that natural sensation to pull up and save your life! Instead it was time to get the gunsight below the bulls eye and let it track up toward the center of the target, watching for any wind indications around the target. Corrections to dive angle, altitude, airspeed, and wind had to be recognized and made instantaneously! If it all went right, you arrived at 5000 feet above the target with the aircraft at exactly 500 kts of airspeed, right on that 40 degree dive angle, just as the center point of the gunsight passed over that 20 foot circle marking the bulls eye.
This all usually took no more than 7 to 10 seconds.
At that point in space and time, you hit that little red button on the flight control stick which sent an electrical impulse to the bomb rack on the wing, which released the 25 lb Mk 76 practice bomb, which released a puff of white smoke when it hit the ground.
Obviously there were huge variables in arriving at this precise point in the air at the exact speed which would result in the bomb hitting the target right on that 20 foot circle painted in the desert sand.
One degree steep on the dive angle? The bomb would land 100 long. It was the same for 10 kts of excess airspeed or releasing the bomb 100 feet lower than the planned 5000 feet. All of these factors resulted in bombs landing 100 feet away from the bulls eye at the 12 o’clock position. Shallow, slower, and higher releases meant 100 feet short. Multiply these factors and now you are 200 to 1000 feet off target.
As rookies, all of these factors resulted in us students slinging bombs all over the target area on that first, second, and sometimes third practice session. We considered any hit within the 300 foot circle to be a success!
However our instructors knew that we could do better. It would take lots of practice on flying the parameters exactly, and this is what they drilled us on. They knew that as we became better “mechanical” bombers, there were instincts being developed within us that would make this process become second nature.
During the next two weeks, we students flew with our instructors; we ate our meals with them; we hung out with them at the Officers Club after flights. We listened to them as they shared their experiences in weapons delivery. Often they taught often us more at the bar than in the classroom. It was learning through experience and relationship!
During this time, we went from “mechanical” programmed weapons delivery, to getting the feel of the aircraft and “the picture” of the target at the proper release point. Learned instincts began to replace the rote procedures, and soon we were placing the practice bomb within 100 feet of the target, and occasionally inside the 20 foot circle that defined the bullseye. Weapons delivery became a huge dart game, a sporting event, and an art form. In the process we became instinctive bombers- and our adversaries would say we were some of the very best in the world at getting the weapon on the target.
How do we become “instinctive” disciple makers?
What is the lifestyle of the Christian to be?
salt & light
Where do we turn to discover the ”how” of discipleship?
Obviously the first place to go is the life of Jesus. He gives us the ultimate example of a lifestyle of discipleship. What were His “methods” of bringing people into the Kingdom? How did He reach the crowds, and work with individuals?
It also helps to then look at what the First Century church did. What did they learn from living with Jesus? What did they think was important? We find one “instructional section” in the book of Acts, and another in Paul’s first letter to his friends in Thessalonica.
First, let’s look at The Master of Making Disciples. Jesus once gave his disciples a very culturally significant illustration of how to begin making disciples when He told them:
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:13-16 NLT
Naturally we receive this image through the grid of our own cultural eyes. In North American culture, we use salt to flavor our food. Therefore Jesus must mean that we are to be the “flavor enhancers” of our society. My Miskito friends along the Coco River in Nicaragua use salt to keep their fish and meat from spoiling. They would take this to mean that Christians on the Rio Coco should be the “preservatives of cultural values”.
Although these understandings of the meaning of salt may make sense to the modern person, the message for the First Century audience was more focused and specific. Looking at this passage through the eyes of those First Century disciples gives us a Cultural Understanding, and a clue to truly effective discipleship.
Salt had a special significance to Biblical people. It was in abundant supply around the Dead Sea, where evaporation in the world’s lowest point made it the valuable commodity in the region. In the photo, Mikaela is seen gathering chunks of salt that were lying along the shore near En Gedi. These were evaporated water from the mineral rich Dead Sea that were laden with salt and crusted with soil.
As in our cultures, this Dead Sea salt was used for flavoring food, and for “salting” fish and other meats to prolong their shelf life. If you go into a Bedouin tent today, you will find a bowl with salt (often clumped together with dirt) on the table. You reach with your hand, crumble the salt, and then sprinkle it over your food. When there becomes more dirt in the bowl than salt, the woman of the tent comes over, takes the bowl and throws the contents out of the tent. Then she brings a fresh clump of salt to the table. Archeologists often identify the street of ancient cities by the salt content of the soil.
Salt dissolved into water can later be evaporated and will return to its original state- square solid crystals. You can burn salt but it does not change its form. Salt has a deep and specific meaning to Middle Eastern people. To ancient and modern Hebrews, salt is a symbol of an eternal relationship or agreement with God. In the book of Numbers, God declares:
It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord to you and your descendants with you.” Numbers 18:18
The writer of Chronicles records:
“Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? 2 Chronicles 13:4
In a modern Bedouin marriage ceremony, salt is placed between the hands of the bride and groom as they are pronounced husband and wife. On Friday nights, Jews dip the Sabbath bread in salt. The bread is the gift from God and salt preserves the covenant between Mankind and God.
To the Biblical person as well as the modern Middle Eastern, salt has the significance of loyalty and fidelity, because its essence never changes.
If I want to express friendship to a Middle Easterner, I would say “There is salt between us.” Salt seals a bargain for Muslims and Jews. It is immutable, indisputable, and unchangeable. A Salt relationship is forever. Jesus applied this meaning in a very specific relational sense:
Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.” Mark 9:50 NLT
Jesus was instructing his disciples to be known by their loyalty to their friends and family. This is consistent to other Biblical teaching about relationships, gossip, and disunity.
Paul instructed the believers in Colossae to:
Let you speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:6
Leonardo Da Vinci used this image in his famous painting “The Last Supper”. Jesus has just announced to his disciples that one of them will betray him. Da Vinci captures the reaction on the faces of the disciples. Notice the third man on Jesus’ right. It is Judas, clutching the money bag, who has just knocked over the container of salt with his right wrist, spilling it out on the table. There is no more salt between him and Jesus!
Light has many usages in Biblical imagery, but the one referred to here is identified by Jesus as the good deeds, those random acts of kindness toward the people around us, that will cause others to see God in us.
Living as “Salt & Light”, through sanctified lives with loyal, giving hearts, is the model for building relationships for the Kingdom. It is the “Love God, Love Your Neighbor” commandment that Jesus says sums up the entire Hebrew Scriptures (Torah and the Prophets).
Being Salt and Light to the people around you is the first step in introducing them to Our Creator.
It is at the heart of the Christian Lifestyle of Making Disciples.
The Jesus Style
While modern methods of evangelism and discipleship may focus on tracts, response to sermons, Bible classes and Discipleship programs, Jesus gave us a model of “relational discipleship”.
What was the “Jesus Style”?
Traditionally, we think that the disciples saw Jesus, heard his call, and dropped everything to follow Him. We get this idea when we read Matthew’s account of Peter’s call:
One day as Jesus was walking along the shore beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—fishing with a net, for they were commercial fishermen. Jesus called out to them, “Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and went with him A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind. Matthew 4:18-22 NLT
It helps to understand the objectives of the writer of the Gospel to draw out the eternal principles. Matthew’s purpose was to tell us Jesus’ words. His gospel is really five sermons that Jesus gave, with selected information that connects it all together in not necessarily chronological order. Luke, on the other hand, had a very specific objective in writing his account of Jesus’ life.
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. Luke 1:1-4
Luke, with his logical Greek mind, was all about putting things in order. Let’s take a look at the chronological order of Jesus’ relationship with His Disciples. We see the following:
Luke 4:31: Jesus enters Capernaum;
4:31-37 Teaching, Healing, Demonic Cleansing;
4:38-39 Heals Peter’s mother-in-law, then eats with them;
5:2 Borrows Peter’s boat for teaching;
5:4-7 Sends out Peter’s boats for the “Big Catch”
5:6 Peter’s confession
5:9-11 The Call of Peter, James, John
Jesus met Peter when He arrived in Capernaum from Nazareth. Undoubtedly Peter heard Jesus teaching at the synagogue that was within a stone’s throw from his own home. He saw Jesus healing sick people and confronting demonic forces. He probably was the one who asked Jesus to come to his home and touch his mother-in-law, who was healed immediately in front of his eyes. He invited Jesus to sit and share a meal. Jesus and Peter were now friends.
In the photo, Randy Smith explains why the Latin Church built a flying saucer style church over the site of the “fisherman’s house” that is also the site of a 5th century church along the shore in Capernaum. It is probably the place where Peter shared his first meal with Jesus.
The text reads that some days later, Jesus was teaching along the shore, and saw Peter, and very naturally asked him to stand in his boat so that he could see more of the crowd which has gathered around him. Peter was a captive audience. What did Jesus say in that teaching? Obviously something that touched Peter.
When finished with the crowd Peter turned to Peter, and asked him how the fishing was. “Terrible” replied Peter. “We didn’t catch anything”. It was then that Jesus asked his friend to take the boat out again. Peter protested, since he knew well that fishing was not particularly good in the middle of the day. But since his friend Jesus asked, he gathered his crew and set out.
They dropped their nets and surprise surprise!!! Their nets filled with fish- so many that they began to break under the weight. Peter had to call his business partners, the Zebedee & Son’s Fishing Company, to come help, but the catch was so big that both boats began to sink.
It was then that amazement seized the fishermen. Peter had an epiphany, and realized what was happening.
“Jesus”, he said, “You don’t want me on your team. I am a sinful man!”
Jesus replied: “Yes I do! Your two friends James and John too! Relax! Be Cool! You will be with me from now on, and together we will be catching many men for the Kingdom.”
There is a pattern that Jesus has when it comes to evangelism and discipleship.
First He “notices” (Matthew 9:9 & Mark 2:14) a person or group.
Then we see Jesus “hanging out” (Matthew 9:10 & Mark 2:15) with this person or small group.
A good example of this willingness to ‘hang” with strangers is Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritian woman at Jacob’s well in Sychar. Let’s read it to understand this “relational discipleship”.
Normally Jews and Samaritians didn’t interact, especially women and men. This meeting took place in the middle of a probably very warm travel day. Jesus was in need of a drink from the well, but He knew that the woman was in need of a drink of His Living Water.
The fact that she was at the well at the middle of the day rather than the customary early morning time when most of the other women from the village came for their household water indicates that this woman was not part of the village social network, which was later confirmed by Jesus’ prophetic words to her.
7Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
9The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
10Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
11“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this is a very deep well. Where would you get this living water? 12And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his cattle enjoyed?”
13Jesus replied, “People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. 14But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
15“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me some of that water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to haul water.”
16“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
17“I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.
Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—18for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now.”
19“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet!” John 4:7-19 NLT
Notice how Jesus reaches out with courtesy to this woman, and how He brings the conversation to a spiritual level.
He sparks her interest, and she responds.
He kindly commends her, and He then gives her a “Word of Knowledge” (1 Cor 12:8) that touches her spirit.
Soon she is convinced that He is indeed the Messiah. She and Jesus have become friends.
39Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay at their village. So he stayed for two days, 41long enough for many of them to hear his message and believe. John 4:39-41 NLT
Jesus was willing to interact with total strangers in hope that He would have opportunity to give them the message of restored relationship with God. He trusted in His divine ability to speak truth in their lives. He knew that strangers responded to kindness and attentiveness. In these encounters, he often stepped across cultural barriers and shared his meals with the unsaved.
Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such despicable people—even eating with them! Luke 15:1-2 NLT
According to the traditions of the religious sects, physical contact with non-Jews and lower class “unclean” people made you “unclean”. They would never allow such sinful people touch them, or share food with them. Jesus was not constrained by these artificial religious barriers. He was willing to spend time with any potential disciple.
Here is one good example recorded in the book of Luke.
Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there.
When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today.”
Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the crowds were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”
Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham. Luke 19:1-9 NLT
Jesus shared many meals with his disciples as well as strangers.
Remember, in the mind of the Middle Easterner, you only eat with your friends. Jesus, through cultural language, was extending his friendship to these outcasts from Jewish society.
In an interesting side note, we see Jesus’ disciples constantly arguing over “who is the greatest”.
We may wonder why, until we realize that the seating arrangement at a First Century meal was fixed- the “greatest” always sat to the right of the host. Many times when they were arguing this, they were on their way to dine!
Sharing meals together was a very significant event!
We also see Jesus teaching to large crowds, and to his “small group”.
He used the “crowd” setting to say things that would draw many to more intimate encounters with him and his disciples. He understood the value of having a small group that He could not only share words, but also His lifes.
Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. There was such a large crowd along the shore that he got into a boat and sat down and spoke from there. 2 He began to teach the people by telling many stories such as this one:
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plant sprang up quickly, 6 but it soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades so that it produced no grain. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted.” Then he said, 9 “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!”
10 Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him, “What do your stories mean?”
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret about the Kingdom of God. But I am using these stories to conceal everything about it from outsiders, 12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: Mark 4:1-11 NLT
Mark goes on to explain this interaction with the crowd and small group:
He used many such stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they were able to understand. 34 In fact, in his public teaching he taught only with parables, but afterward when he was alone with his disciples, he explained the meaning to them. Mark 4:33 NLT
In addition to building relationships through hanging out, sharing meals, teaching moments, Jesus was also willing to be interrupted in his teaching and discipling ministry.
One example is the account of a day (Luke 8) that included interruptions from a demonized man, a leader of the synagogue in Capernaum, and a woman in the crowd.
26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. 28 Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “ What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. 30 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.
32 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. 33 And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. 35 The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. 36 Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. 38 But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. Luke 8:26-39
40 And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house; 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. But as He went, the crowds were pressing against Him.
43 And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, 44 came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.” 47 When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
49 While He was still speaking, someone *came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” 50 But when Jesus heard this, He answered him, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl’s father and mother. 52 Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, “Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep.” 53 And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died. 54 He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Child, arise!” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat. 56 Her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened. Luke 8:40-56
Luke records a typical “interruption” later on in chapter 18.
As they approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. 36 When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was going by. 38 So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 The crowds ahead of Jesus tried to hush the man, but he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. 41 Then Jesus asked the man, “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord,” he pleaded, “I want to see!”
42 And Jesus said, “All right, you can see! Your faith has healed you.” Luke 18:35-42 NLT
From the Gospels we can see that:
- Jesus taught the large crowds;
- He spent quality time with many people, from the rich and politically powerful to the down and outcasts.
- He lived with his disciples, sharing His life with them;
- He was willing to stop anytime to interact with anyone who was a potential disciple.
As we look at the “Jesus Method”, it would be good to consider some practical applications.
- What is the power of loyal, faithful, giving relationships and living a truly sanctified life in our society?
- Are we willing to be “interrupted” from our agenda and schedule and stop to serve a potential disciple?
- How will our individual efforts combined with other Christians’ personal discipleship affect the world?