25Mar 08
Come, Follow Me
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Lets take a meaningful trip down history lane into the time when Christ physically walked the earth. Recently, our family had the joy of hearing an inspiring message by Ray Vander Laan in his DVD series, That the World May Know. In this particular episode we accompanied Mr. Vander Laan on a tour amidst the ruins of Chorazin and Bethsaida. Over 2000 years ago, these two villages along 
with Capernaum made up a triangle of communities along the Sea of Galilee where much concentrated study of the Torah took place. According to Jewish history, young children would receive training at local schools on subjects pertaining to writing, reading, math, history, etc. From there, the young men had the option to take up the rigorous discipline of studying the Torah. This was no light task but required arduous work and a desire to learn. While under the tutelage of the wise Rabbis, some of these students would develop a desire 
to walk in the steps of a particular Rabbi. After seeing his style of teaching, his system of beliefs, and order or life, the student decided to approach the Rabbi. Upon relating his desire to follow in the Rabbis steps, the Rabbi would then ask a series of questions to determine the students devotion. The ultimate deciding factor for the Rabbi was whether or not he felt this student could indeed become like him. If permitted, the student would leave all behind and learn all the Rabbi had to follow. He would become a Talmin (a disciple).
Christ came through these same towns and had disciples. However, he went about choosing them in a different way. He approached the town of Bethsaida along the Sea and called 5 men most, if not all, of whom were fishermen. This meant they had not gone through the rigorous discipline of studying the Torah. But He called them. And in so doing, meant, by his call just like every other Rabbi of His day, that He thought they could be like Himself. In a sense it was as if He said, I think you could be like me. Come follow me. From that point on, those five with seven to follow spent all day every day with Jesus learning His ways.
As a chosen follower of Christ, there are several points for application:
- Do we have a burning passion to be like Jesus?
- Do we understand that He believes we can be like Him?
- Do we spend time with Him?
May we, as Christs disciples, rejoice in the fact that our Perfect Rabbi has chosen us, not because of who we are, but because of His love and His desire to make us like Him!
Pictures from: http://www.bibleplaces.com/ and http://www.ancientsandals.com/
What an encouragement! Your post inspired me to look up and review a similar message I heard once titled “May you be covered in the dust of your Rabbi” http://www.offqueue.com/archives/dust_rabbi.pdf It was such a blessing to be a reminded of the honor it is to follow Christ! Thank you.
What a powerful lesson on discipleship. “…likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.”
What a wonderful overview of these inspiring message that we have been listing to.
After listening to them it left me in awe and great thankfulness that I was choosen by Christ to be His disciple. Even though I can feel at times very unworthy.
I love the quote that says “God does not call the qualified but He qualifies the called!!
Joshua, Thanks for this encouraging post and for being an example of Christ to your family. Young men who truly have a passion to be like Christ are rare. That passion is one that has to be developed. We are naturally hunrgy for contentment and the world offers us all it’s dainties with the promise that they will satisfy.They do not. We know that only one thing satisfies, being conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. As we train our appetites to be satisfied with the things of God and not the things on earth we will find His promises are true. It is then we discover true joy and peace that passes understanding. May His grace and peace be yours. Dad
As your Dad said Joshua, young men who truly have a passion to be like Christ are rare. And to think: He believes that we can be like Him! Wow! And yet that should not amaze us. That is the intent and purpose of every situation in which He places us. Every day can be, if we permit it, a step closer in the quest for Him–or rather His quest for us.
I appreciate the inspiring comments of each one of you! May our ‘passion to be like Christ’ cause us to ‘forsake all’ so we may be ‘covered in the dust of our Rabbi’ as He ‘qualifies us’ to ‘step closer in the quest for Him!’
[...] Do we have a methodical way for discipling others? How are we preparing ourselves for the work of an evangelist and discipler for Christ? [...]