Year 4, Day 223: Luke 14

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Discipleship Square

• D₂ is the step in the discipleship process where God builds character as we begin to help in God's work.  Often it involves us taking a good long look at ourselves and seeing what needs to be cut away.  Affectionately, this process is referred to as “the pit of despair” because when we see ourselves for who we really are it is easy to despair and feel like we’ll never get it right, we’ll never be right, and we’ll never be useful to God.  It is easy to feel like a failure in the pit of despair.

In this chapter of Luke, we have several difficult moments with Jesus.  First, Jesus is faced with choosing between not healing on the Sabbath – and while following the Law being branded an uncompassionate man – or healing on the Sabbath and breaking the Law.  I love that Jesus chooses compassion over Law.  I love that Jesus chooses mercy over strict adherence.  I love what this story teaches us about Jesus’ character and how he models that character for His disciples.

Jesus also gives us an interesting teaching.  Don’t sit at the head of the table.  Don’t invite the wealthy around you to dinner.  Hang out with the poor and in need.  Again we get to take a look at a story from Jesus where we can see character being built.  Who among us really has what it takes to intentionally hang around those who need us all the time?  Don’t we like to hang around those who can help us out or elevate us to a new position?  Do we really have what it takes to be obedient to God in this world?

Or take Jesus’ hard words about discipleship?  Whoever doesn’t leave family for me cannot be His disciple.  Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross cannot be Jesus’ disciple.  Whoever does not count the cost cannot be His disciple.  Whoever does not renounce all that he has cannot be Christ’s disciple.  Here we see the pit of despair, truly.  How many of us can live up to that teaching?  What do I have to change in my life to make that true about me?  That’s what discipleship is all about.

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Year 4, Day 119: Numbers 4

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: D3, D4, Discipleship Square

• D3 is the moment in life where a person is consciously competent about what they are able to do as a disciple of Jesus Christ.  They are maturing, able to do ministry and disciple others, but it is still a conscious effort.  This is the time when a disciple’s skills are often honed deeply.
• D4 is the moment in life where a person is unconsciously competent about what they can do as a disciple of Christ.  They are mature.  Often they disciple others and perform ministry without having to think about it.  They do it simply out of their spiritual maturity and their closeness with God.

Looking at Numbers 4 allows us to see the importance for maturity.  Notice that in all other censuses that the age of counting is 20 and older.  But when the Levites are counted, the required age is 30.  When it comes to dealing with the work of God and moving His earthly dwelling place, God wants mature people to do the task.  He wants people who are spiritually mature enough to know their place, execute what needs to be done, not do anything that shouldn’t be done, and lead with maturity.  God wants people who are mature enough to be willing to listen to His orders and then act upon them appropriately.

What God wants are people who are competent.  He doesn’t mind people growing into competency.  But there are certain tasks in the faith that are so important that the competent should do them.

We can see this in the New Testament as well.  Before Jesus leaves His disciples, He leads them into maturity.  Before Paul goes out into mission, Barnabas mentors him into maturity.  Paul likewise mentors Timothy, Luke, Titus, and a host of other characters.  We are to be a people who look forward to developing God’s servants into mature followers who are capable of listening and then doing what God asks of them.

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Year 4, Day 113: Leviticus 24

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Character, Discipleship Square

• Character: Having the interior life that is necessary to support the work that God sets before a person.  It is hearing from God and obeying.  It is doing the right thing when nobody is looking.

Leviticus 24 is all about raising the bar of life up to God’s expectations.  In this chapter we hear about not blaspheming against God.  We learn about setting high expectations for those who dwell in our midst.  What we are talking about here is lifting people up rather than compromising ourselves down.

This really hits home when it comes to discipleship.  What is discipleship about – teaching others to imitate godly patterns or asking the godly to lower their standards to accept the world’s standards?  Obviously discipleship is about teaching other people to imitate godly patterns!

In this chapter, we really feel the discipleship challenge with respect to godly living.  Yes, we don’t live in a culture that stones people and we certainly live in a faith that believes in forgiveness.  But this chapter is about raising expectations.  This chapter is about discipling people into strong godly lives.  This chapter is about developing character that is worth imitating.

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Year 4, Day 73: Exodus 24

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: D1

• D1: This first stage of discipleship is filled with enthusiasm and confidence.  Quite honestly, both of these qualities come from the newness of the process and a bit of an over-glorified perspective on what it takes to actually disciple others.  The majority of this stage is developing relationship with the mentor and being in the mentor’s presence to watch what they do.  Disciples in this stage need high direction and high example.

It may seem a bit strange to focus on the portion of this chapter that is about Joshua.  After all, so much happens before we get to Joshua’s mention at the very end.  Certainly there are many directions that could be taken in this chapter.  But I think it is neat to watch Moses’ example as He prepares to do one of the most memorable actions of the Old Testament: receiving the Law on stone written.

Up until this moment, the spiritual tasks have always been shared by Moses and Aaron.  Here, Moses takes Joshua.  Moses takes Joshua up the mountain with him in order to meet God.  Why would Moses do this?

Moses knows that he isn’t going to be able to lead forever.  When the people get to the Promised Land, they are going to need a military general to lead them in the conquest over the native people.  I’m sure Moses can’t possibly know what will actually happen and how long it will take to get to the Promised Land; but he is smart to invite the younger Joshua with him in order to begin to show Joshua what it takes to be in relationship with God.

Also notice Moses’ approach to Joshua.  Joshua doesn’t have to do anything except to follow Moses.  He’s there to observe.  This isn’t an insult to Joshua; it’s a smart move on Moses’ part.  It will allow Joshua to simply absorb what is happening as well as be comfortable in the spiritual role of leadership before enabling him to have too much authority.

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Year 3, Day 338: Daniel 4

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: D₂

• D₂ is the step in the discipleship process where God builds character as we begin to help in God's work.  Often it involves us taking a good long look at ourselves and seeing what needs to be cut away.  Affectionately, this process is referred to as “the pit of despair” because when we see ourselves for who we really are it is easy to despair and feel like we’ll never get it right, we’ll never be right, and we’ll never be useful to God.  It is easy to feel like a failure in the pit of despair.

We need to remember something in the pit of despair.  Romans 5:3-5 says that “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame.”  When we are in the pit of despair and suffering, God is actually using that time to build character within us!  D₂ is difficult.  It is hard to suffer.  It is hard to endure.  It is hard to build character.  It is hard to be a disciple.  But in the end, it is worth it!

I believe this is exactly what God is doing to Nebuchadnezzar in this chapter.  Up until now, God has demonstrated His power to Nebuchadnezzar.  Nebuchadnezzar has seen God’s power and been impressed.  But Nebuchadnezzar still hasn’t let go of his pride.  He still hasn’t humbled himself before God.  If Nebuchadnezzar is going to truly be in relationship with God, he needs to take a good long look in the mirror and see his prideful self for what it is.  That’s D₂ if I’ve ever seen it.  God is building character in Nebuchadnezzar by humbling him to be like a beast so he can consider the truth about his ways.

So how do we get out of the pit of despair and build character?  Through time, vision, and grace.  We can see each of these three elements today in God’s dealing with Nebuchadnezzar.

• Time: God gives Nebuchadnezzar seven years to see himself as he really is.
• Vision: God gives Nebuchadnezzar the ability to see himself as he really is – a beast following his own passions – and know that there is a better way.
• Grace: Nebuchadnezzar was a pagan king worshipping false gods.  The fact that God continues to search after Nebuchadnezzar’s heart at all is a huge display of grace! 

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