A Serving of Jesus, with a sprinkle of the Spirit

A serving of Jesus with a sprinkle of the Spirit

The ad for the resort promised a customized experience shaped to a ‘perfect fit for your expectations.’  That is great marketing to Americans who are accustomed to having things their way. Have you ever stood at a Starbucks counter and listened to the endless string of directions for preparing coffee? The day of ordering ‘cream and suger, please,’ are gone! There are hundreds of combinations of coffee roasts, flavors, creamers, sweeteners - all mixed to meet the taste of the individual consumer. Our wealth allows us to demand life on our terms. 

And... we have become consumers at church. We want an experience that is matched to our preferences, doctrine that accommodates our personal sins. The explosion of independent churches in America are evidence of this. We are unwilling to bend ourselves so we ‘shop’ for a church that matches our expectations in size, worship style, music, type of preaching, and doctrine. As you read that, you might be wondering why that is even an issue, right?  Consumerism is so engrained in our thought processes, it does not even occur to us that it might be wrong to demand a serving of Jesus, with a sprinkle of the Spirit!

Bill Hull asks pastors to carefully consider if they are making Believers or Disciples.  A believer gives mental assent to the existence of God and the Person of Jesus Christ. He holds certain ideals as being true, but abstract.  Hull goes on to write, “Discipleship is a state of being. It is not directly a devotional life, but it is a life of devotion. It is not about more church, more meetings, and greater discipline- it is about learning to live one’s life as though Christ were living it. It is the reality of Christ in one’s life in all life’s events and circumstances.”

A disciple gives up his own way to become a follower of the Way.  He does not even consider his own pleasure, preference, or expectations. His fulfillment is found in surrender, in re-shaping his will to the will of his Lord.  Is that hard?  Any answer other than ‘yes,’ would be a lie!  Discipleship demands death to Self.  Jesus does not consider our feelings in His demands, but He does promise that if we will become disciples who endure, the reward is rich, beyond our imagination. 

Read His invitation thoughtfully.  "Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:25-27, NIV) "Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”  Don’t you love good, ole Pete?  He says what we all think!  How did Jesus answer his question?  Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then." (Matthew 19:27-30, NLT)

Meditate on the example of Moses. May his life inspire us to go beyond being Believers to becoming Disciples. "By faith, Moses, when grown, refused the privileges of the Egyptian royal house. He chose a hard life with God’s people rather than an opportunistic soft life of sin with the oppressors. He valued suffering in the Messiah’s camp far greater than Egyptian wealth because he was looking ahead, anticipating the payoff. By an act of faith, he turned his heel on Egypt, indifferent to the king’s blind rage. He had his eye on the One no eye can see, and kept right on going." (Hebrews 11:24-27, The Message)

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Father, I recognize that the love of Self goes deep in me.

When my will is frustrated, I work at reshaping life to my own expectations.

I confess that I am too willing to ask for Your forgiveness,

Rather than to seek Your will.

Bend my stubborn heart to Your ways.

Enlarge my vision to see beyond today,

To choose with eternity in sight.

Remind me that what I 'lose' in pursuit of You,

is nothing compared to what is gained in Your welcome.

Jesus Christ, be Lord of my loves, my thoughts, my heart and my mind.

Amen