A LOYAL LEARNING FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST

"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master." - Matthew 10:24

The Word Disciple (Mathetes in Gr.) used in this passage above does not refer to those who have attained to an advanced stage of progress in their Christian life or walk, but rather it describes the basic relationship of a student who is under tutelage of another person. in this instance, we are referring to the men and the women who were influenced by the teaching and were followers of Christ. The word disciple comes from the Greco-Roman cultural influence.

How did Greco-Roman culture influence

the modern world?

I first time I heard the title this article from one of my favorite professor’s Dr. Charles Snow, I did not have to take a note. It was like my professor in undergrad, social stratification. When he gave a synopsis of what all cultures are like he held up his hand and starting with the thumb he said number one there is an incipiency, the second finger is a coalescence. The middle finger is institutionalization where we stick our middle finger out at the world around us and people around us the finger the ring finger represents fragmentation where we begin to become less and finally the little finger was the demise. I didn’t have to take a note. I remembered that until this day how cultures rise and fall.

Jesus was a contemporary at 30 years of age in his time period and the culture of the Jewish people. Sometimes we picture Him being out of place and we sometimes picture Him as an older and more seasoned person, but from the age of 12 all Hebrew boys are taught the Torah, but he did not start his ministry at an age 12, being trained to know the word of God. Read; Luke 2:41-52. The Roman culture does not exist as it was in the day of Christ, but the Jewish culture still exist and is thriving because it is of God.

Though it has been thousands of years since the Time of Jesus when the Roman Empire flourished, we can still see evidence of it in our art, mathematics, architecture, technology, literature, language, and law. It seems that God had Jesus come at a time when there would be literature written history kept and flourishing of all the things I mentioned above. From bridges and stadiums to books and the words we hear every day, the ancient Romans have left their mark on our world, and it was the thing with Jesus Christ who also left his mark on the world. It's apparent to me that God knew how the influences of that time would affect the rest of life that existed and was the continue to ex on this earth.

When I was receiving my theological seminary education, I could see the need for interpretation of scripture, learning the history of the church, and yes, the history of the Bible. The Hebrew and Greek word studies brought me to the place of asking how these past historical events still affects the future leaders of our world today.

Men and women do not need to ask if education is important, for I have found that those who study and the parents who teach their kids to study from the youngest ages will be better equipped for success and be able to navigate their future better. I remember K5 was the beginning of education in America, but it has reached down to age 3 and 4 years of age. The parents who influence their kids to be educated are providing for those students to have a better opportunity of advancing themselves and the culture, especially if they study history, not that they become historians, and study science, not that they become scientist, and to study language not that they become proficient in some other language other than their native tongue. I believe it it's relevant and it is preparation for the future and who I believe will be the future leaders of our church.

Who are the future leaders in the Church?

I really believe the future of the church has to have an educational element to it. When Dr. Cook asked me to come and help her I did not see it as an educational opportunity. I did not see education in its different forms.  The Church is the vessel for shaping its members to become the loyal learning followers of Jesus Christ, who will have the ability to do that and the ability to teach others because they have been taught to be and to do that. We tend to mimic those who we learn from and copy after and seek to be like. For instance, our parents did not have to nurture us but did have to provide corrections and instructions on how to properly eat and dress. After then, you made choices, but we were still influenced by those decisions and the things they taught or said to us. How many of us have uttered, “well, my mama said that” or “I remember my daddy did that this way” or “my teacher taught me that”, or “I learned that in school”.

You do not become a loyal learning follower by osmosis, or just by reading a book. You can tell the difference of those who have learned from a book and those that have learned from experience and teaching that they have received from others? Many of us like myself, have had many spiritual mentors. They were there to teach us many principles. I called these principles in my religious life as The Big Four, i.e., prayer, study of the word, fellowship with believers and reaching out into a world that is in desperate need of a relationship with Jesus Christ. What it really means is that someone has to become, a leader, who like me will also help those younger, and other ministry leaders to lead. It is for this purpose that we continue to learn and find a mentor to help us to become a loyal learning follower of Jesus Christ.

The younger men and women of today seem to be more perceptive than I was when I was younger. They are the people who see the need for a contemporary, modern move of God. The older ones are to teach the principles and concepts that they have learned. It is important that the younger have a future plan and fine that certain leader that will mentor them into fulfilling that plan and that process for success in their life. I don't mean always money or fame, but purpose, character, and desire, but to be like Jesus Christ.

Study: Questions to ponder, alone or in a group.

1. What does Mathew 10:24 that says, “a disciple is not above his teacher’ mean to you?

2. If you are in reformed stage (1+ Years) of your Christian life or walk, does that make you a disciple?

3. Looking back on the men and women who have been an influence in your life, what discipleship principles did they teach you?