Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008

TWG - August 13, 2008

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TWG - August 13, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Leviticus 23; Acts 27:1-26


Today is August 13, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. You are part of a devotional community where we put Christ first and our commitment is to spend time with each other and Time with God every day.

Another VBS day is past. We had a great time! I am so impressed with all the activities we are doing. It is such a blast. Yesterday “Rabbi John” explained what the Seder meal is to the kids. They were fascinated by the foot washing of Jesus day. Old time lamps were lit and so much more. I was so tired after VBS that I took a quick nap. After work I returned for our men’s meeting. That was a blast. Then I swung by Brad and Karen’s to give our “new rabbi” his script. Thanks Brad for agreeing to be our Rabbi at our Vacation Bible School! That ended a long day for me! I put a picture of another of our VBS shops on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out.

This week’s theme verse is Mark 8:34-38 "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

Jesus has some very high expectations of His disciples. Self denial, Cross bearing, and now he asks us to “follow.” Twenty centuries after he announced his demands, we have some idea that these commands are to be taken symbolically. Self denial has come to mean skipping dessert or seconds. “Everyone has their cross to bear” we quote, meaning that your difficulties in life are your cross to bear. And follow means something like sitting in church and watching the preacher from the bleachers… as in my eyes are following his movements on stage, or my eyes are following the words across the page. When Jesus called men to discipleship, there was nothing symbolic or watered down about it. Jesus expected his Disciples to drop what they were doing, follow him around the countryside and become his apprentices. The pay was low and the demands were high. Self denial for them meant sleeping on the hard ground most nights and eating whatever the group could scrounge. Bearing their cross meant that they might just be crucified with Jesus! They were to expect persecution and martyrdom. And to follow Jesus meant just that. It meant that all the little extras everyone else had, they didn’t, because they didn’t have a “real job” anymore. To follow literally meant that they spent all day and all night with Jesus. They walked with Him and talked with Him. They listened as He taught them and they did the things he asked of them. When it came time, they did what they saw Jesus do. They preached and taught and even healed the sick! Being a disciple back then was more or less equivalent to “entering the ministry” today. Jesus is still calling us to discipleship. He is still calling us to follow Him. His call to the highest level of commitment has never changed. He still calls, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” The problem is not with His call, it is with our response. Some of us don’t “feel called!” Jesus said, “Make disciples of all nations.” Every one of us responds to the call with varying degrees of commitment. Jesus wants us to give Him our all. And that’s one of my problems… I’m looking for Sunday School teachers, Jesus is looking for Disciples. I want people to commit a few minutes a day to reading the word and prayer, Jesus is asking for us to give him our entire life! The call to follow Jesus in discipleship has not changed over the centuries, just our perception of it. The question you must ask is, what is the next step in discipleship for me?

Dear Lord Jesus, I give you my life. Wherever you send me I’ll go. Whatever you ask of me, I’ll do. I will follow you wherever you lead. I will give it all up for you. I want to be your disciple. Please forgive me for my low ideals of commitment and help me to live it all for you all day long.

I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers

Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 9:29 AM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

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