Discipleship Journey: Phase #1- The Beginning (Step #1- Come, Follow Me)

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said,” Matthew 4:19a

Let thy house be a meeting-house for the wise;
and powder thyself in the dust of their feet;
and drink their words with thirstiness. M. Avot 1:4

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”Matthew 5:6

Did you know that there is a difference between a Christian and a disciple?

A Christian is someone who identifies with the tenets and teachings of the Christian faith.

A disciple is someone who learns, imitates, and actively lives out the teachings of Jesus.

While doctrine (a set of beliefs) is important, the goal is to learn to live out those sets of beliefs and imitate Jesus in our life.

When you were baptized, this is what happened…

• You went under the water, which symbolized you dying or casting off your old self.

• And you came up out of the water, which symbolized your new life in Christ.

Your baptism was more about being forgiven of your sins, it was an entrance into a new way of living.

So, if you look at the three quotes at the top of this post, this is how they apply…

Matthew 4:19- Just like Jesus invited his disciples, he also invites us to “follow him.” To put it simply, it is asking, “What Would Jesus Do?” in every situation.

M. Avot 1:4- The “M” stands for the Mishnah which was a set of ancient Jewish writings. In it, it says to “powder yourself with the dust of their (rabbi’s) feet.” Rabbi means teacher, so what this is saying is, “walk so closely to your rabbi (which is Jesus) that you hear every word he says and imitate everything he does.”

Matthew 5:6- This verse talks about “hungering and thirsting for righteousness.” If you know what it is like to be super hungry or thirsty, it is something that is constantly on your mind until you get that need met. This is what the verse is talking about. We should be hungry for Jesus’ words and direction in our life. So much so that we go searching for it.

So, as you begin your relationship with God here are three things you can do…

Step #1- Read and re-read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Get so familiar with Jesus’ words (the red letters) that you begin to memorize them.

Step #2- Begin asking the question “What Would Jesus Do?” on a daily basis.

Step #3- Start creating a rhythm of Bible reading and prayer. Try to create a habit where everyday, at the same time, and in the same place, you sit down to read the Bible and to pray. If you don’t understand what you are reading, that is ok. Just read and get it in your mind. If you don’t know what to pray about, that is ok. Just get used to talking to God about your day and what is on your mind.

Finally, give yourself grace and give yourself time. This walk with Jesus is a marathon, not a sprint.

If you have any questions or need anything at all on this journey, don’t hesitate to reach out. You have more people than you know praying for you and cheering you on.

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Paul