Practicing the Way

https://vimeo.com/185534325

90 times he is addressed, 60 of those he is called rabbi.

• Jesus the Rabbi

  • Scriptures where hs is called rabbi
  • The call of Jesus was follow me. Not believe in me and go to heaven.
  • The idea of following a rabbi is that you would dedicate your life to be an apprentice under that person.

  When we talk about discipleship its torn from the 1 century context.

  • Beit Sepher - House of the Book. Grade School you would memorize most if not all of the Torah.
    • The vast majority of kids would be done there
    • if you were male you would apprentice under your father
  • Beit Talmud - 12-14,15 would memorize all of what we call the Old Testament.
    • At that point almost every one was done.
  • Talmidim - Apprentice to a Rabbi. You would sit with and interview with a Rabbi. And if he thought you had the smarts and the work ethic and the drive to be a rabbi then he would say come and be one of my Talmidim.
    • Goals:
      • 1. To be with your rabbi - literally follow him around (May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi.
      • 2. To be come like your rabbi - I will make you fishers of men. (you will be a great teacher) He would capture your mind with his teaching.
      • 3. To do what he did - Send them out to preach and drive out demons. The point of apprenticeship is that you would one day go and make disciples.
  • So what are our Goals

    • To be with Jesus - Through relationship to the spirit of Jesus. First and primary goal of apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to live in a constant state of awareness of and connection to the spirit.

      • carving out time to touch in and connect with God.
      • John 15:1-8 (Remaining in the vine)
      • Practices of Jesus this is what they are for. Take a moment to slowdown. The best Part of Jesus is to be with Jesus.

    • Become like Jesus - Spiritual Formation

      • Your goal and mine is to be spiritually formed. Defined =

      “Spiritual Formation in the Christian tradition is a process of increasingly being possessed and permeated by the character traits (of Jesus) as we walk in the easy yoke of discipleship with Jesus our teacher…” Dallas Willard.

      • All disciples of something - who are you being formed into.
      • Who or what are you becoming. More like Jesus. How do we live out the sermon on the mount. Not behavior modification but in inward transformation.
      • Takes practice in community.

    • Do what Jesus did - to carry on your masters work.

      • Jesus goal was also to usher in the Kingdom of God. We see his ministry broken down in about 10 differrent ways:
        • Preaching the gospel.
        • Teaching the way
        • Healing the sick
        • Casting out demons
        • Eating and drinking with people far from God.
        • Doing Justice
        • Peacemaking
        • Praying
        • Prophesying
        • Standing up against religious and political corruption
      • Apprentice should be able to do join in Jesus kingdom work. Be with Jesus and become like Jesus.
        • It doesn’t work as a hobby. When it informs everything you do in whatever you are doing. The focal point of your life is apprenticeship to Jesus.

      The invitation (Mark 8) is to become an apprentice not a Christian.

      • 268 times.
      • 76 vs 8% actually following Jesus.

      The greatest issue facing the world today with all its heart breaking needs, is whether those who are identified as “Christians” will become disciples - students, apprentices, practitioners - of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the kingdom of the Heavens into every corner of human existence. - Dallas Willard.

      Jesus isn’t looking for converts to Christianity he is looking for apprentices to himself.

      you are invited to follow Jesus.

      • It won’t just happen….
      • Matthew 7:24-27 (The idea of practice) \
        • Is going to take a life time of practice.
        • Not “try really hard to do things in the sermon of the mount”
          • It’s not about trying it’s about training.
          • Illustration of marathon, you don’t just wake up and run one. You don’t just try. You wake up and run a mile, next day 2 miles. Adding a mile every week. After the end of a set time you will be able to run the 26 miles. It will still be hard but it will be well within your capacity to do it.

      Life Following Jesus is beautiful