Note: You can watch this teaching on CrossWalk’s YouTube channel.
This Go Be Jesus series was meant to give us a clearer picture of who Jesus was in order that we would have a better idea of what it means to be his followers and proclaimers, his disciples as well as his apostles. Let’s review, shall we?
Every serious Jesus scholar is clear about Jesus’ purpose in his life: to proclaim what the Kingdom of God is like and usher it into the world as much as possible. The Kingdom of God was and is different than the kingdoms of our world and the way humanity tends to think. The Kingdom of God reflects its King. Of course, we’re using metaphor here – we need to move beyond anthropomorphic visualizations of God. The God Jesus referred to was and is full of grace, truth, mercy, and calls for justice for those who do not have it. This God is one who seeks to restore everything to the very good it was made to be. The goal of this God is shalom. The ethos of God is shalom – the ends and means are the same. Jesus deep peace and harmony in his life and ministry – it is the Way that leads to the restoration, revitalization, and resurrection that we all long for. Shalom was his mission, and it was not always “warm hugs and chocolate chip cookies”. In his temptation camping trip, Jesus made it clear he was not going to be driven by the ways of the world, but by the shalom of God.
When Jesus invited people to become his disciples, it was not a casual offer. Those who received the invitation knew that it was a great honor that implied confidence in the invited one on the part of the inviter. If Jesus asks someone to follow in his footsteps, it meant that he believed the person could learn how to walk in the same way he did. The word Christian literally means “little Christ.” To be a Christian is to be like Jesus, to live like Jesus. To learn to live in Jesus’ Way. The Mandalorians may think they have coined the phrase, “this is the Way”, but the earliest Jesus followers owned the copyright. The original community of Christians were first called, simply, the people of The Way. Have you said yes to the invitation from the Spirit of God to follow the Way of Jesus? The Way that leads to shalom for you and all others?
Disciples are learners. Jesus’ first disciples had a lot of learning to do which required a lot of unlearning as well. They had been enculturated by their environment and a particular, unchecked rendition of Judaism that they simply took on faith as accurate. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount – his campaign speech which he undoubtedly reiterated many times – was filled with one mind-blower after another about the way God works in the world and how we are to bring change. He begins by affirming the inherent value of all people, especially noting those who have been told otherwise. Non-violent resistance is clearly taught. New ethics are iterated that are in contrast to his cultural context. It didn’t always sit well. I have a hunch that it still doesn’t sit well. Are you aware that the Jewish tradition understood that they were to mandate provisions for the poor among them? That they were to live in a system where debt was canceled every seven years? Where immigrants were to be treated with great hospitality and humanity? Where greed was not tolerated, especially when it hurt the poor (as it always does)? Did you know that the Jewish nation was not to place too much trust in their military strength? I wonder how this really lands with many in the United States? I’ve heard it said that when Jesus speaks about taking care of the poor, it is called Christianity, but when politicians speak of it, it is called socialism. Hmmm.
Deep reflection on the meaning of shalom and how to live it out translated into a life that was incredibly meaningful and impactful for Jesus and all who have ever followed. It resulted in a life of service to others. It meant coming alongside people who have been treated harshly and unjustly, speaking and being grace to and for them. It also meant using their voice to call out the absence of shalom in the system. There were actors in the world who were blockades to shalom for others. Calling them out took great courage because it often carried with it the high price of their retribution. The Way led them regularly to solitude, stillness, and silence where they could focus more clearly on the voice of God away from the noise of the world around them. The Way also took them to a deeper understanding of love well beyond the transactional rendering so prevalent in humanity. Deep love allowed for the love of even one’s enemies – not in a pushover, doormat way, but an ability to espouse love and respect not based on the worthiness of the recipient but on the nature of God and who we are as those created in God’s image.
The result of living in the Way of Jesus is an abundant life. Inherent in the Way is the calling to be not just a disciple but also an apostle – not simply students but also teachers. When we live out our role as both disciples and apostles, we change for the better, and the world does, too. For your own sake, say yes to the invitation of Jesus. For the sake of the world, say yes to living in the Way of Christ.