Yesterday, I was blessed again to give the Sunday morning message. You won’t be surprised to hear that my theme was discipleship: pointing out that when Jesus called people, they had to get “out of the box.” Getting out of the box means leaving behind your assumptions and expectations, even comfort and safety—it involves risk.
The more I study discipleship, the more I wonder whether we 21st century Americans have truly grasped its meaning. To be chosen by a rabbi in Jesus’ day was the highest honor bestowed on a young man. When a Rabbi said, "Come, Follow me,” there was an old Jewish saying that said to follow a rabbi was to "be covered with the dust of his feet." When Jesus said, "Come and follow me,” the disciples knew exactly what he meant. It was the Hebrew custom to walk very close to your rabbi or teacher so that you could learn of his ways in every area of life. Following so close, you would wear his dust.
After awhile, a disciple would begin to look like and act like his Rabbi. In the same way, Jesus' disciples are meant to be conformed to His image. People should look at us and see Jesus. Can we even call ourselves disciples if we are not covered in His dust?
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