La Luna: What is a Disciple? Matthew 4:18-22 While Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers. Simon and Andrew. They were fishermen and they were casting their nets into the sea. Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him. Jesus walked on until he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus told them to come with him too. Right away they left the boat and their father and went with Jesus. Many Christians know that Jesus gave his followers a Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) to “make disciples.” Our United Methodist Book of Discipline says that our mission is to “make disciple of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” But what exactly is a disciple? What does a disciple look like and how can you spot one in a crowd? One of the best definitions of a disciple comes from a pastor named Jim Putman. In his book, “Real Life Discipleship”, he says the greatest explanation comes from Jesus in Matthew 4:19. Jesus said to His first disciples: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Putman then breaks down the three main parts of this verse to show the three main characteristics -- Head, Hands, and Heart -- of a disciple according to Jesus. La Luna is a fisherman’s story too isn’t it? We watch as the different generations of family pass the torch of certain responsibilities – of the family business -- to the next generation, so that the family’s values and way of living (or making a living) will continue on for future generations. A young boy, Bambino, goes on a midnight sailing trip with his father Papà and grandfather Nonno. After they anchor their boat in the middle of the sea, Nonno presents Bambino with a cap similar to the ones he and Papà wear. The two men disagree on how Bambino should wear it, with Papà pulling it low over his eyes and Nonno pushing it back on his head. When we look at the differences between the father and grandfather in La Luna -- Papa and Nonno -- particularly in the differences in their brooms, we can see the different ways of how these two reach their common goal. • HEAD: Nonno and his Carlisle broom represent cognitive strength (Head), using the brain to get the job done neatly and efficiently. Head – “Follow me”Jesus approached Peter and Andrew and told them to follow Him. What does it mean to follow Jesus? For Peter (and us) it meant an acknowledgement that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16). With this confession is also submission to Him as your ruler. He is your Savior because He is your Lord. You follow Him and your priorities are set by Him. Putman writes that this decision to follow Jesus is “head level—we acknowledge Jesus as Lord—and we follow Jesus as our head.” • HANDS: Papa and his push broom represents physical strength (Hands), using his muscles to get the job done quicker. Jesus told the first disciples that they would do something: fish for men. Putman writes, “discipleship involves a hands-level change: a disciple is committed to the mission of Christ.” A disciple is committed to following Jesus, being changed by Jesus and joining Jesus in His work. This means that our priorities are set by Jesus and our hands are to be used for his service. • HEART: As Papa and Nonno quarrel, a huge star crashes down on the moon; it is far too large for any of them to move by themselves. Turning his cap backwards, the way he wants to wear it, Bambino climbs onto the star and gently taps it with a hammer. It bursts apart into hundreds of smaller stars, and all three go to work sweeping them to one side, with Bambino choosing a rake instead of either mans broom. Nonno gently guides, Papa pushes, Bambino gathers and draws the stars toward him. Jesus told Peter, Andrew, James, and John that they are to follow Him and “I will make you fishers of men”. Jesus told them He was going to change them by making them into something they are not. It has been said that “Jesus does not call the equipped but equips the called.” Putman writes, “discipleship involves a heart-level change: a disciple is being changed by Christ.” To be a disciple means that the truth you confess at the Head level is moving to the Heart level and is changing your thoughts, desires, and responses. What does this story tell us about God?What does this story tell us about us? What does it mean to “follow” Jesus? What did Jesus mean when He said, “I will make you”? What does it mean to fish for people? Over the next six weeks we will talk about what it means to be a disciple. For now, it’s enough to say we imitate Christ when we use our head, hands, and heart for Kingdom purposes.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 20:52:28 +0000
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