Discipleship

Aim/Theme:  To explore what discipleship might mean for us today. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31. Ordinary 2B.

Introduction

Watching lots of religious TV lately, ‘Around the World in 80 Faiths’ is good and ‘History of Christianity’ Part 1 was not so good! 

On ‘The One Show’, Carol Thatcher is doing a series on people who’ve dropped out of the ‘rat race’.  Recently[1] she met Pat Bowcock living on land where she has established a completely sustainable ‘permaculture’ – she has completely changed her lifestyle to do it.

Point 1

Jesus calls us to follow him- discipleship demanding commitment.  This doesn’t always happen instantly, does it?  We are persistently called and may be recalled to do something different, throughout our lives.  (“Convicted of certain things at different points in our lives.”)

Point 2

Jesus calls the fishermen to leave their jobs; Jonah is called to go to Nineveh.  However, we are often called not to go somewhere different, but to stay right where we are and be disciples. 

We may not be called to make huge changes or have a new job.  Is it harder to be different while being ourselves?  We don’t have a ‘role’ to play or hide behind (Play School presented quote).

Point 3

Paul gives us advice on what our motivation should be and how to be disciples in the midst of worldly distractions (context of Chap 7).  

Read out 1Cor 7:29-31 (but let’s not go to extremes).  We are not rejecting the world, just putting it in perspective.  We are not called to live in isolation, like some crackpot sect, or pretend that we have all/the only answers.  Nevertheless, if your first priority is to be relevant, successful, respected and influential in this world, you should give Jesus a very wide berth.

From our perspective of 2000 years later we see Paul got it completely wrong – the time was not short!  But it was – and is – for all individuals and groups – it was/is for opportunities.

Conclusion

Discipleship requires commitment, it keeps demanding us to change and requires us to have different priorities and live with urgency.  Pat Bowcock said her lifestyle was “for me it’s not about giving anything up, it’s about gaining something … it’s a challenge.”  She is living in harmony with nature – we are called to live in harmony with God, the creator of nature.

---

[1] The One Show, BBC1, 4:43PM, 12 Jan 2009.