Dear Disciple of Christ,
I’m still reflecting on my years in college, specifically in junior college, the first two years of which would be part of 10 years of study for ministry. One of the things I learned early in college was how to find the best class (when options allowed us to “elect” certain classes). Based on what I got in classes, it was clear that the curriculum “write-up” or syllabus was not always (or even often) a good guide. Because someone could write up a nice description of a class, doesn’t mean the teacher could teach the lesson well. If you want to know what class to take, check with other students. You can delete the input from those students who describe no challenges to the class or little homework or easy tests. But when a student describes the professor as “great,” you’re looking in the right direction. I came to feel that a class titled “Basket Weaving 101” would be a great class if taught by a great professor. And, Jesus is the best teacher in every topic in every part of our lives.
I didn’t let that lesson I learned guide me for a pastoral conference I attended years ago. This series of presentations was not done by my college but was offered by a local ecumenical group. It seemed to me that the topic was right in line with my searching. I give myself a little bit of a break about taking this conference since I didn’t know any of the speakers listed. But I was overly confident, based on the title listed for the conference that included, “The Emerging Christian Minority.” Then there were the presentations listed. They included, “Advice on Being a Millennially-Despised Minority,” “Is it Good to Be Persecuted?” “Preaching and Pastoring as an Emerging Minority” and “The Gospel in ‘A Secular Age.” If there is any better application that we are now marking “Good Friday” I’m not sure what it could be. Jesus is the master of sacrifice and persecution. During Lent, when the conference was being held, we most often read a full two chapters of the gospel of John to reflect on Jesus’ last days of His ministry. I hope you’ll make it to worship each week and to all those special services to hear from and about the Teacher. If you really can’t, here is the lesson we read each Holy Week (John 18:1 with Jesus taking His disciples to the garden of Gethsemane to John 19:42 when Jesus is taken down from the cross and placed in a garden tomb). The topics of the conference seemed to fit well with what we would be considering for Lent. So, I went to the conference with high expectations and participated in all the presentations.
One of my friends who knew I was going to the conference was surprised when I got back and I wasn’t talking about it. I don’t know what you think might be the reason for that, but the conference was, as you might suspect, less than helpful. The one thing most disappointing was that it was actually presented by a Jewish rabbi. I have known rabbis and appreciated their Old Testament knowledge and insights. But, to be honest, I was disappointed in a number of perspectives he shared and none were from the perspective as one of Jesus’ disciples (which, of course, he was not).
The first disappointment was a general feeling I had that suggested he was invited because of the minority status of his religious group. As Christians are become a smaller and smaller part of the American society, we might begin to resemble the Jewish community. The question seemed to be asked, how do the Jews deal with their minority position in the United States and how might that guide us into the future?
The second disappointment was hearing how the rabbi described the role of Jews in our society. He suggested their role is not “to” others, to make Jews or proselytes of others but to shine as a light “of” the nations (not “to” the nations). Here is what Isaiah said in chapter 42. “I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.” The rabbi was comparing his minority group in our society to what the future was looking like for a societal group getting smaller.
How do you interpret that text? Perhaps it was familiar to you and you recognize you’ve always thought of it as a “witness” text, one that calls disciples to be a light to the nations, to let them see the light of Christ in us. But the Jewish rabbi focused on the Jewish community, their nature as a light that would simply draw people to their light (living out the law of God). As we might expect, there was no Matthew 28 emphasis in that Jewish community or in his presentation. He described a “wait and be seen” approach rather than a “go and make disciples” one that is so familiar to us and so significant, we call it the “Great Commission.”
What I do when I find a conference not being so helpful or if I disagree with the presenter, is to identify what reasons I have for disagreeing. So, in this case, even at a time when the percentage of Christians in society is decreasing, our mission of outreach remains. It doesn’t have to do with increasing our numbers in church but has to do with our apostleship. What? You don’t feel like an apostle? Let me remind you. Apostles are those who are “sent out” (that’s the literal meaning of the word, “apostle.”) It is the mission of the Church to go and make disciples of all nations. Others will know we are disciples by our love for one another (John 13:35). Jesus also described the lives of disciples like that of light. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
There are people, more and more each day, who have not seen the divine love that is known, experienced and shared by disciples. That makes the witness of each and every disciple, each and every day, even more important. As each of us has a different set of friends and neighbors and co-workers and family, we are in the best position to make Christ known to them. And that is best done as we each live out our discipleship daily. We are to bring that light into the world, wherever we go, that others get to know Christ through us.
I wish you God’s blessings and strength as you make your witness as a disciple of Christ.
1. Is it possible to make a bad conference good (by considering what doesn’t make sense to you)?
2. Do you feel like an apostle (that God sends you out as a witness)?
3. Do you know anyone (friend, family member, neighbor, co-worker) who doesn’t know the Light of the World? Can you invite them to join you at events of the church where Christ’s light shines?
4. Do you daily pray for the opportunity to show and share good news to those living without it? Would it help?
In His service,
Pastor Johnson